Compare towns
Readfield vs Benton vs Mount Vernon
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 expensive homes ($326k median).
Benton has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Mount Vernon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.9%).
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 | Benton | Mount Vernon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,651 |
2,770Highest |
1,716Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% ME: +2.6% |
-0.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
42.8±6Lowest 4% below ME |
47.1±6.2 5% above ME |
| Readfield and Mount Vernon 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% |
19.9%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mount Vernon and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
21%±3.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.5%±1.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Mount Vernon and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
42.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Readfield and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,504±$8kHighest 16% above ME |
$61,437±$5kLowest 18% below ME |
$74,395±$6k about the ME average |
| Readfield and Mount Vernon 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 |
$176,700±$23kLowest 40% below ME |
$264,200±$23k 11% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$844Highest about the ME average |
$1,110±$123 about the ME average |
$893±$168Lowest 22% below ME |
| Readfield and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,392Highest 12% above ME |
$1,758Lowest 42% below ME |
$2,832 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±36.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Benton 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% |
10%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 20% above ME |
20 minLowest 21% below ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 24.3%±14.9 ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
28.3%±11.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Vernon 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 | #85 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 38 | RSU 49/MSAD 49 | 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 History | 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.