Compare towns
Readfield vs Appleton vs Danforth vs Orrington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($90k median).
Orrington has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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.
| Measure | Readfield | Appleton | Danforth | Orrington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,651 |
1,360 |
666Lowest |
3,853Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.1±7.6Lowest 7% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
53.1±4.4Highest 19% above ME |
49.5±3.3 10% above ME |
| Danforth and Orrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Readfield and Orrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.3%±4.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±3.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.8%±5.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Orrington and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $86,504±$8k 16% above ME |
$53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$48,125±$8kLowest 36% below ME |
$94,556±$10kHighest 27% above ME |
| Orrington and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $326,400±$20kHighest 10% above ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$89,900±$36kLowest 70% below ME |
$309,000±$49k 4% above ME |
| Readfield and Orrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$844 about the ME average |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$629±$29Lowest 45% below ME |
$1,167±$135Highest about the ME average |
| Orrington and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,392 12% above ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,270Lowest 58% below ME |
$2,823 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
36.1%±57.5 ME: 48.4% |
11.9%±20.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
81.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 20% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
28 min 15% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
5.8%±3.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Orrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #20 of 133 in ME | — | — | #41 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 38 | Appleton Public Schools | — | Orrington Public Schools |
| High school in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | None in town | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.