Compare towns
Readfield vs Benton 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%).
Benton has the most affordable homes ($177k median).
Orrington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.1%).
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 | Orrington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,651Lowest |
2,770 |
3,853Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% ME: +2.6% |
-0.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
42.8±6Lowest 4% below ME |
49.5±3.3Highest 10% above ME |
| Orrington and Readfield 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% |
19.9%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Benton and Readfield 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% |
23.8%±5.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Orrington 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% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Orrington 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±$8k 16% above ME |
$61,437±$5kLowest 18% 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 |
$176,700±$23kLowest 40% 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 |
$1,110±$123Lowest about the ME average |
$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 | $3,392Highest 12% above ME |
$1,758Lowest 42% below ME |
$2,823 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
11.9%±20.6Lowest 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 20% above ME |
20 minLowest 21% below ME |
21 min 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±4.9Lowest 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 | #85 of 133 in ME | #41 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 38 | RSU 49/MSAD 49 | 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 |
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| 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.