Compare towns
Stoneham vs Freedom vs Northfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stoneham has the most people working from home (40.7%).
Freedom has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Northfield has the shortest commute (24 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 | Stoneham | Freedom | Northfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 271 |
670Highest |
263Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -1.1% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 60.6±7.1 35% above ME |
40.1±2.7Lowest 10% below ME |
62.1±16.2Highest 39% above ME |
| Northfield and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 5.9%±7.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.4%±7.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Freedom and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 41%±17.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
39.2%±9.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Stoneham and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.8% ME: 36.2% |
23.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
40.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.8%±13.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±4.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Stoneham and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,750±$27kLowest 15% below ME |
$64,861±$12k 13% below ME |
$68,333±$52kHighest 9% below ME |
| Northfield and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $226,200±$32kHighest 24% below ME |
$190,600±$69kLowest 36% below ME |
$198,600±$64k 33% below ME |
| Stoneham and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$383 about the ME average |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,426Lowest 53% below ME |
$2,328Highest 23% below ME |
$1,773 42% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.1%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
— |
| Stoneham and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.5% ME: 10.7% |
20.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.8% ME: 74.3% |
90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 18% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 40.7%±15.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
3.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| 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.