Compare towns
Readfield vs Strong vs Danforth vs Mount Vernon
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 expensive homes ($326k median).
Strong has the oldest housing (typical home built 1971).
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($90k median).
Mount Vernon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.9%).
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 | Strong | Danforth | Mount Vernon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,651Highest |
1,249 |
666Lowest |
1,716 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.3% ME: +2.6% |
+4.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
53.1±4.4Highest 19% above ME |
47.1±6.2Lowest 5% above ME |
| Danforth 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% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mount Vernon and Strong 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% |
22%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±3.7 ME: 22.4% |
26.5%±1.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Mount Vernon and Danforth 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% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
42.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±2 ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Readfield and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $86,504±$8kHighest 16% above ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$48,125±$8k 36% below ME |
$74,395±$6k about the ME average |
| Readfield and Mount Vernon 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 |
$183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
$89,900±$36kLowest 70% below ME |
$264,200±$23k 11% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$844Highest about the ME average |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
$629±$29Lowest 45% below ME |
$893±$168 22% below ME |
| Readfield and Strong 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 |
$1,950 36% below ME |
$1,270Lowest 58% below ME |
$2,832 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
36.1%±57.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±36.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Danforth 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% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
81.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 20% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
28 minLowest 15% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 24.3%±14.9 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
5.8%±3.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
28.3%±11.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Vernon 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 | — | — | — |
| School district | RSU 38 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | — | 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 | 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.