What stands out worked out from the figures below

Readfield has the most expensive homes ($326k median).

Waldo has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Readfield	Waldo
People
Population	2,651Highest	926Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	0%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+4.3%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME	37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME
	Readfield and Waldo 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%	20.2%±4.5Highest ME: 18.1%
	Waldo and Readfield 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%	12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	48.8%Highest ME: 36.2%	36.4%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8%	1.8%±1Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Readfield and Waldo 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	$71,458±$21kLowest 4% below ME
	Readfield and Waldo 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	$208,000±$41kLowest 30% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,125±$844Lowest about the ME average	$1,150±$691Highest about the ME average
	Waldo 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	$1,623Lowest 47% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	31.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4%	74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4%
	Waldo and Readfield 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%	10.4%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	89.9%Highest ME: 74.3%	84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME	1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 20% above ME	20 minLowest 20% below ME
Work from home	24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9%	15.6%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Readfield and Waldo 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	Waldo-Region 7
High school in town	Maranacook Community High Sch	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	11.5	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.