Compare towns
Belfast vs Eliot 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).
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
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 | Eliot | Boothbay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,986 |
7,146Highest |
3,102Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% ME: +2.6% |
+8.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 60.6±3.1Highest 35% above ME |
50.8±5.9Lowest 13% 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% |
16.3%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Eliot 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% |
27.8%±6.2Lowest 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.6% ME: 36.2% |
51.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
6%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Boothbay and Eliot 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 |
$101,522±$10kHighest 36% above ME |
$60,320±$17kLowest 19% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,900±$34kLowest 15% above ME |
$498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
$342,100±$43k 15% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $962±$92Lowest 16% below ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
$1,147±$121 about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,145 37% above ME |
$4,549Highest 50% above ME |
$2,202Lowest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±14.4 ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.4%±31Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Eliot 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% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 13% below ME |
23 minHighest 9% below ME |
13 minLowest 46% below ME |
| Work from home | 12%±6 ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Eliot 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 71 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | — |
| High school in town | Belfast Area High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.