Compare towns
Readfield vs Rockport 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%).
Rockport has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Manchester has the most affordable homes ($300k median).
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 | Rockport | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,651 |
3,675Highest |
2,424Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% ME: +2.6% |
+9.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
48.7±3.7Highest 9% above ME |
46.9±4.6Lowest 5% above ME |
| Rockport 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 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Rockport and Manchester 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% |
24.2%±4.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Rockport and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.8% ME: 36.2% |
51.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
47.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Rockport and Readfield 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 |
$86,979±$16k 16% above ME |
$92,031±$16kHighest 23% above ME |
| Manchester and Rockport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $326,400±$20k 10% above ME |
$469,000±$50kHighest 58% above ME |
$299,600±$40kLowest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$844 about the ME average |
$1,194±$667Highest 5% above ME |
$993±$116Lowest 13% below ME |
| Rockport and Readfield 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 |
$5,764Highest 90% above ME |
$3,486 15% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
53.4%±42.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±18.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Rockport 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% |
5.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 20% above ME |
11 minLowest 54% below ME |
20 min 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Rockport 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 | #8 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 38 | Five Town CSD · RSU 28/MSAD 28 | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | Camden Hills Regional H S | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Lowest |
12.6Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.