Compare towns
Readfield vs Peru vs Orrington
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%).
Peru has the most affordable homes ($141k median).
Orrington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.1%).
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 | Peru | Orrington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,651 |
1,501Lowest |
3,853Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% ME: +2.6% |
-3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
48±7.6Lowest 7% above ME |
49.5±3.3Highest 10% above ME |
| Orrington 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% |
20.8%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Peru 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% |
21.7%±3.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.8%±5.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Orrington 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% |
21.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Orrington and Peru 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 |
$66,827±$19kLowest 11% below ME |
$94,556±$10kHighest 27% above ME |
| Orrington 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 |
$141,300±$38kLowest 52% below ME |
$309,000±$49k 4% above ME |
| Readfield and Orrington 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 |
$723±$16Lowest 37% below ME |
$1,167±$135Highest about the ME average |
| Orrington and Readfield 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 |
$1,799Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,823 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.7%±37.5 ME: 48.4% |
11.9%±20.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Readfield and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9% ME: 74.3% |
90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 20% above ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.2%±4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Orrington 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 | — | #41 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 38 | RSU 56 | Orrington Public Schools |
| 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.