What stands out worked out from the figures below

Prospect has the oldest population (median age 45.2).

Buckfield has the most people working from home (15.6%).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Prospect	Buckfield
People
Population	923Lowest	2,403Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-1.6%Lowest ME: +2.6%	-1.3%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	45.2±7.5Highest about the ME average	37.7±10.1Lowest 16% below ME
	Prospect and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	25.2%±10.7Lowest ME: 18.1%	25.7%±7.7Highest ME: 18.1%
	Buckfield and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.8%±1.7Highest ME: 22.4%	13.7%±2.7Lowest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	22.3%Lowest ME: 36.2%	26.5%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.6%±1Lowest ME: 5.8%	1.8%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8%
	Buckfield and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$81,250±$17kHighest 9% above ME	$77,917±$41kLowest 4% above ME
	Prospect and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$196,500±$19kLowest 34% below ME	$227,700±$18kHighest 23% below ME
	Buckfield and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,107±$61Highest about the ME average	$521±$33Lowest 54% below ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,979Lowest 35% below ME	$2,860Highest 6% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	31.3%±42Highest ME: 48.4%	0%±55Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Prospect and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.3%Highest ME: 10.7%	5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	88.8%Lowest ME: 74.3%	94.9%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1998Highest 21 yrs newer than ME	1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 34% above ME	31 minLowest 25% above ME
Work from home	6.2%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9%	15.6%±12.5Highest ME: 15.9%
	Buckfield and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	—	RSU 10
High school in town	—	Buckfield Jr-Sr High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	10.2
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.