Compare towns
Readfield vs Otis 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%).
Otis has the oldest population (median age 54.7).
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 | Otis | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,651Highest |
705Lowest |
2,424 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% ME: +2.6% |
+0.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
54.7±3.1Highest 22% above ME |
46.9±4.6Lowest 5% above ME |
| Otis 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% |
16.6%±7.8Lowest 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%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
20.9%±8Lowest 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% |
34.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.6%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.6 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 |
$101,250±$27kHighest 35% above ME |
$92,031±$16k 23% above ME |
| Otis and Manchester 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 |
$282,500±$23kLowest 5% below ME |
$299,600±$40k 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±$844 about the ME average |
$1,563±$734Highest 37% above ME |
$993±$116Lowest 13% below ME |
| Otis 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 |
$2,263Lowest 25% below ME |
$3,486Highest 15% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
35.7%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±18.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Otis 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% |
7.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.5% ME: 74.3% |
85%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 20% above ME |
42 minHighest 69% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±3.5Lowest 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 | Otis Public Schools | RSU 38 |
| 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 |
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.