What stands out worked out from the figures below

Readfield has the most affordable homes ($326k median).

Scarborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17%).

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	Scarborough
People
Population	2,651Lowest	23,215Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	0%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+17%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	48.1±7.6Lowest 7% above ME	48.8±2.7Highest 9% above ME
	Scarborough and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.7%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1%	16.6%±2Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Readfield and Scarborough 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%	24.7%±2.4Highest ME: 22.4%
	Scarborough 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%Lowest ME: 36.2%	57.7%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8%	4.7%±1.3Highest ME: 5.8%
	Scarborough 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	$133,558±$21kHighest 79% above ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$326,400±$20kLowest 10% above ME	$551,900±$39kHighest 86% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,125±$844Lowest about the ME average	$1,956±$178Highest 72% above ME
	Scarborough 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	$5,978Highest 97% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	31.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4%	51.9%±13.1Highest ME: 48.4%
	Scarborough and Readfield 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%	4.4%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	89.9%Highest ME: 74.3%	77.4%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME	1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 20% above ME	19 minLowest 21% below ME
Work from home	24.3%±14.9Lowest ME: 15.9%	24.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9%
	Scarborough and Readfield 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	#35 of 133 in ME
School district	RSU 38	Scarborough Public Schools
High school in town	Maranacook Community High Sch	Scarborough High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.5Highest	11.0Lowest
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.