Compare towns
Readfield vs Stark vs Pownal
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
Stark has the most affordable homes ($198k median).
Pownal has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).
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 | Stark | Pownal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,651Highest |
419Lowest |
1,696 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% U.S.: +7.4% |
-14%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.1±7.6 24% above U.S. |
58.8±3.6Highest 51% above U.S. |
47.2±8.4Lowest 21% above U.S. |
| Stark 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 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24.2%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Pownal 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.2%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.5%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stark and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
17.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±4.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pownal and Stark 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 7% above U.S. |
$71,750±$23kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$104,333±$14kHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Pownal 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±$20k about the U.S. average |
$197,700±$34kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$436,800±$32kHighest 31% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$844Highest 20% below U.S. |
— | $981±$636Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Readfield and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,392 9% above U.S. |
$2,636Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$5,212Highest 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.3%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
78.9%±22.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pownal and Stark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 12% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.3%±14.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.9%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Readfield and Pownal 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 | Stark School District | RSU 05 |
| 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 |
U.S. 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.