Compare towns
Readfield vs Windham vs Wayne vs Orrington
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1979).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Wayne has the oldest population (median age 55.6).
Orrington has the shortest commute (21 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 | Windham | Wayne | Orrington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,651 |
19,188Highest |
1,101Lowest |
3,853 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
49.5±3.3 10% above ME |
| Wayne and Orrington 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% |
19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Windham 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% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.8%±5.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne and Orrington 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% |
44.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Orrington 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 16% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$93,194±$26k 25% above ME |
$94,556±$10k 27% above ME |
| Windham and Orrington 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 |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$362,800±$29k 22% above ME |
$309,000±$49kLowest 4% above ME |
| Windham and Wayne 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 |
$1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,167±$135 about the ME average |
| Windham and Orrington 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 |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
$2,823Lowest 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
11.9%±20.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Windham 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% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 20% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 24.3%±14.9 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Readfield 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 | #95 of 133 in ME | — | #41 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 38 | RSU 14 | RSU 38 | Orrington Public Schools |
| High school in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | Windham High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Lowest |
12.1Highest |
— | — |
| 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.