Compare towns
Readfield vs Exeter vs Belgrade
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%).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($167k median).
Belgrade has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
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 | Exeter | Belgrade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,651 |
1,093Lowest |
3,351Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
47.3±14.6Lowest 6% above ME |
| Exeter 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% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.6%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Belgrade 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% |
23.9%±11.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.8% ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Belgrade and Exeter 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 |
$84,408±$12kLowest 13% above ME |
$88,338±$13kHighest 18% above ME |
| Belgrade 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 |
$166,700±$39kLowest 44% below ME |
$312,200±$44k 5% above ME |
| Readfield and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$844Highest about the ME average |
$995±$386 13% below ME |
$857±$108Lowest 25% below ME |
| Readfield and Exeter 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 |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,859 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
17.2%±35.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Exeter 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% |
8.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.1% ME: 74.3% |
93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 20% above ME |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.4%±8.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Belgrade 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 | — | #71 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 38 | — | RSU 18 |
| 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.