Compare towns
Readfield vs Strong vs Union
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%).
Strong has the most affordable homes ($184k median).
Union has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
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 | Union |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,651 |
1,249Lowest |
2,663Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Readfield and Strong 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% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.3%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Readfield and Strong 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Union 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±$8kHighest 16% above ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
| Readfield and Union 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±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
| Readfield and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$844 about the ME average |
$920±$276Lowest 19% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
| Union and Readfield 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 |
$1,950Lowest 36% below ME |
$3,276 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Readfield and Union 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% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 20% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
29 minLowest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Strong 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 40/MSAD 40 |
| 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 |
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.