Compare towns
Belfast vs Appleton vs Boothbay
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Belfast has the most renters (31.5% rent).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Boothbay has the shortest commute (13 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 | Belfast | Appleton | Boothbay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,986Highest |
1,360Lowest |
3,102 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 60.6±3.1Highest 35% above ME |
49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
56.8±3.9 27% above ME |
| Belfast and Boothbay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.2%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Appleton and Belfast are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 39.1%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
35.4%±7.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Belfast and Boothbay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.9% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
51.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
6%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Boothbay and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,679±$9kHighest 9% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$60,320±$17k 19% below ME |
| Belfast and Boothbay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,900±$34k 15% above ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$342,100±$43kHighest 15% above ME |
| Boothbay and Belfast are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $962±$92Lowest 16% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,147±$121Highest about the ME average |
| Boothbay and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,145Highest 37% above ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$2,202Lowest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±14.4 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.4%±31Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Belfast are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 13% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
13 minLowest 46% below ME |
| Work from home | 12%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
5.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Belfast and Appleton 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 | #84 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 71 | Appleton Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Belfast Area High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
— | — |
| 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.