Compare towns
Readfield vs Dummer vs Manchester
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%).
Dummer has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
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 | Dummer | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,651Highest |
299Lowest |
2,424 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.1±7.6 24% above U.S. |
53.6±6.4Highest 38% above U.S. |
46.9±4.6Lowest 21% above U.S. |
| Dummer and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Dummer and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.3%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Manchester 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
16.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Readfield and Manchester 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. |
$91,250±$21k 13% above U.S. |
$92,031±$16kHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Manchester and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $326,400±$20kHighest about the U.S. average |
$242,200±$51kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$299,600±$40k 10% below U.S. |
| Readfield and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$844Highest 20% below U.S. |
— | $993±$116Lowest 30% below U.S. |
| 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 9% above U.S. |
$2,898Lowest 7% below U.S. |
$3,486Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.3%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.9%±18.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Readfield and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5% U.S.: 12.5% |
9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.3%±14.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.8%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.9%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 |
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.