Compare towns
Readfield vs Berlin vs Pownal
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
Berlin has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Pownal has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).
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 | Berlin | Pownal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,651 |
2,880Highest |
1,696Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.1±7.6 24% above U.S. |
50.6±2.4Highest 30% above U.S. |
47.2±8.4Lowest 21% above U.S. |
| Berlin 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 U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24.2%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Pownal 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.8%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.5%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Berlin and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pownal and Berlin 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 7% above U.S. |
$86,691±$21k 7% above U.S. |
$104,333±$14kHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Pownal and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $326,400±$20k about the U.S. average |
$273,600±$31kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$436,800±$32kHighest 31% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$844 20% below U.S. |
$1,169±$171Highest 17% below U.S. |
$981±$636Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Berlin and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,392Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$4,418 42% above U.S. |
$5,212Highest 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.3%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±19.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
78.9%±22.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pownal and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 12% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.3%±14.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.9%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Readfield and Pownal 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 | #16 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | RSU 38 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | RSU 05 |
| 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 |
U.S. 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.