Compare towns
Readfield vs Strong vs Danforth vs Pownal
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%).
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($90k 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 | Strong | Danforth | Pownal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,651Highest |
1,249 |
666Lowest |
1,696 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.3% ME: +2.6% |
+6.2%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 |
47.2±8.4Lowest 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% |
24.2%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Pownal 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%±3.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Danforth 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% ME: 36.2% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Pownal 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±$8k 16% above ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$48,125±$8k 36% below ME |
$104,333±$14kHighest 40% above ME |
| 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 10% above ME |
$183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
$89,900±$36kLowest 70% below ME |
$436,800±$32kHighest 47% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$844Highest about the ME average |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
$629±$29Lowest 45% below ME |
$981±$636 14% below ME |
| 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 12% above ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
$1,270Lowest 58% below ME |
$5,212Highest 72% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
36.1%±57.5 ME: 48.4% |
78.9%±22.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Pownal and Danforth 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% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
81.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% 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 |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 20% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
28 minLowest 15% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
5.8%±3.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
23.9%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
| 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 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | — | 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 | 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.