Compare towns
Readfield vs Sturbridge vs Manchester
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%).
Sturbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Manchester has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Sturbridge | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,651 |
9,960Highest |
2,424Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.1±7.6Highest 24% above U.S. |
47.2±2.6 21% above U.S. |
46.9±4.6Lowest 21% above U.S. |
| Readfield and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Sturbridge and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.3%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Manchester 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sturbridge 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 7% above U.S. |
$136,759±$15kHighest 69% above U.S. |
$92,031±$16k 14% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $326,400±$20k about the U.S. average |
$425,800±$18kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$299,600±$40kLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$844 20% below U.S. |
$1,193±$398Highest 16% below U.S. |
$993±$116Lowest 30% below U.S. |
| Sturbridge and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,392Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$6,520Highest 109% above U.S. |
$3,486 12% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.3%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.9%±18.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Sturbridge and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
85%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 12% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.3%±14.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.9%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Readfield and Sturbridge 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 | #89 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | RSU 38 | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Highest |
7.7Lowest |
— |
| 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.