What stands out worked out from the figures below

Steuben has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.2%).

Buckfield has the most people working from home (15.6%).

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	Steuben	Buckfield
People
Population	1,388Lowest	2,403Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.2%Highest ME: +2.6%	-1.3%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	40.1±8.5Highest 10% below ME	37.7±10.1Lowest 16% below ME
	Steuben and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.4%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1%	25.7%±7.7Highest ME: 18.1%
	Buckfield and Steuben are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.9%±1Highest ME: 22.4%	13.7%±2.7Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Steuben and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	18.9%Lowest ME: 36.2%	26.5%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.2%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8%	1.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$76,466±$4kLowest about the ME average	$77,917±$41kHighest 4% above ME
	Buckfield and Steuben are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$173,900±$32kLowest 41% below ME	$227,700±$18kHighest 23% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$678±$319Highest 40% below ME	$521±$33Lowest 54% below ME
	Steuben and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,029Lowest 33% below ME	$2,860Highest 6% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	26.3%±87.8Highest ME: 48.4%	0%±55Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Steuben and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.4%Lowest ME: 10.7%	5.8%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	89.4%Lowest ME: 74.3%	94.9%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME	1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 14% above ME	31 minHighest 25% above ME
Work from home	11.8%±6.5Lowest ME: 15.9%	15.6%±12.5Highest ME: 15.9%
	Buckfield and Steuben are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	RSU 24	RSU 10
High school in town	None in town	Buckfield Jr-Sr High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	10.2
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.