Compare towns
Belfast vs Appleton vs Waldo
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 expensive homes ($341k median).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Waldo has the most kids (20.2% 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 | Belfast | Appleton | Waldo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,986Highest |
1,360 |
926Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 60.6±3.1Highest 35% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14.2%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Waldo and Appleton 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%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Belfast and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
36.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1 ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,679±$9k 9% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$71,458±$21kHighest 4% below ME |
| Waldo and Belfast are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,900±$34kHighest 15% above ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$208,000±$41kLowest 30% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $962±$92Lowest 16% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,150±$691Highest about the ME average |
| Waldo 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 |
$1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±14.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Waldo 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 13% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 12%±6 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Waldo and Belfast 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 | Waldo-Region 7 |
| High school in town | Belfast Area High School | None in town | 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.