What stands out worked out from the figures below

Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Readfield	Manchester
People
Population	2,651Highest	2,424Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	0%Highest ME: +2.6%	-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME	46.9±4.6Lowest 5% above ME
	Readfield and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.7%±3.9Lowest 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%	22.6%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4%
	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 ME: 36.2%	47.5%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8%	2.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8%
	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 16% above 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±$20kHighest 10% above ME	$299,600±$40kLowest about the ME average
	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 about the ME average	$993±$116Lowest 13% below ME
	Readfield and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,392Lowest 12% above ME	$3,486Highest 15% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	31.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4%	30.9%±18.6Lowest 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%Highest ME: 10.7%	4.5%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	89.9%Highest ME: 74.3%	85%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME	1977Lowest same as ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 20% above ME	20 minLowest 19% below ME
Work from home	24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9%	11.9%±5.7Lowest 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 Our Story	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.