Compare towns
Readfield vs Boothbay 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%).
Boothbay has the shortest commute (13 min average).
Manchester has the most affordable homes ($300k median).
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 | Boothbay | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,651 |
3,102Highest |
2,424Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.8% ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
56.8±3.9Highest 27% above ME |
46.9±4.6Lowest 5% above ME |
| Boothbay 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% |
11.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Manchester 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% |
35.4%±7.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.8% ME: 36.2% |
51.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
47.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
6%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Boothbay 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 |
$60,320±$17kLowest 19% below ME |
$92,031±$16kHighest 23% above ME |
| Manchester 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±$20k 10% above ME |
$342,100±$43kHighest 15% above ME |
$299,600±$40kLowest about the ME average |
| Boothbay and Readfield 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 |
$1,147±$121Highest about the ME average |
$993±$116Lowest 13% below ME |
| Boothbay and Readfield 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 |
$2,202Lowest 27% below ME |
$3,486Highest 15% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.4%±31Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 20% above ME |
13 minLowest 46% below ME |
20 min 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Manchester 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 | — | — |
| School district | RSU 38 | — | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | — | 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.