Compare towns
Wayne vs Meredith vs Readfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Meredith has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
Readfield has the most kids (18.7% under 18).
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 | Wayne | Meredith | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,101Lowest |
6,758Highest |
2,651 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
0% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.6±5.3Highest 43% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7 43% above U.S. |
48.1±7.6Lowest 24% above U.S. |
| Wayne and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Readfield and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.2%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.3%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith and Wayne 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wayne and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,194±$26kHighest 15% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19k 8% above U.S. |
$86,504±$8kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Wayne and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,800±$29k 9% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$326,400±$20kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $983±$554Lowest 30% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304Highest 19% below U.S. |
$1,125±$844 20% below U.S. |
| Meredith and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,289Lowest 5% above U.S. |
$5,006Highest 61% above U.S. |
$3,392 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±52.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.3%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Meredith and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 26.2%±11.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.3%±14.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | #62 of 120 in NH | #20 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 38 | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School | Maranacook Community High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Lowest |
11.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.