Compare towns
Readfield vs Belgrade vs Manchester
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%).
Belgrade has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
Manchester has the shortest commute (20 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 | Belgrade | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,651 |
3,351Highest |
2,424Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% ME: +2.6% |
+1.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
47.3±14.6 6% above ME |
46.9±4.6Lowest 5% above ME |
| Readfield and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.6%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Belgrade and Manchester 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% |
23.9%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Belgrade and Manchester 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% |
49.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
47.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Belgrade and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,504±$8kLowest 16% above ME |
$88,338±$13k 18% above ME |
$92,031±$16kHighest 23% above ME |
| Manchester 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±$20kHighest 10% above ME |
$312,200±$44k 5% above ME |
$299,600±$40kLowest about the ME average |
| Readfield and Belgrade 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 |
$857±$108Lowest 25% below ME |
$993±$116 13% below ME |
| Readfield and Manchester 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 |
$2,859Lowest 6% below ME |
$3,486Highest 15% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
17.2%±35.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±18.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Readfield and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
4.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9% ME: 74.3% |
93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 20% above ME |
23 min 7% below ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
20.4%±8.6 ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Belgrade 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 | RSU 18 | RSU 38 |
| 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 Our Story | 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.