Compare towns
Readfield vs Unity vs Belgrade
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%).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Belgrade has the most kids (22.6% under 18).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity | Belgrade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,651 |
1,858Lowest |
3,351Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
47.3±14.6 6% above ME |
| Readfield and Belgrade 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% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.6%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Belgrade and Readfield 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% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Belgrade 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% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,504±$8k 16% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$88,338±$13kHighest 18% above ME |
| Belgrade 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±$20kHighest 10% above ME |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$312,200±$44k 5% above ME |
| Readfield and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$844Highest about the ME average |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$857±$108Lowest 25% below ME |
| Readfield and Unity 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 |
$2,510Lowest 17% below ME |
$2,859 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
17.2%±35.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Unity 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% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 20% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
23 min 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.4%±8.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Belgrade 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 | — | #71 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 38 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Lowest |
12.4Highest |
— |
| 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.