Compare towns
Readfield vs Appleton vs Wayne vs Belgrade
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1979).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Wayne has the oldest population (median age 55.6).
Belgrade has the shortest commute (23 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 | Wayne | Belgrade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,651 |
1,360 |
1,101Lowest |
3,351Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
47.3±14.6Lowest 6% above ME |
| Wayne and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.6%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Belgrade and Readfield 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%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±6.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.8% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
49.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Belgrade 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±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$88,338±$13k 18% above ME |
| Wayne and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $326,400±$20k 10% above ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$312,200±$44k 5% above ME |
| Wayne and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$844Highest about the ME average |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
$857±$108Lowest 25% below ME |
| Readfield and Appleton 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 |
$3,289 8% above ME |
$2,859Lowest 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
17.2%±35.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 20% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 24.3%±14.9 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
20.4%±8.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Readfield 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 | — | — | #71 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 38 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 38 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | None in town | 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.