Compare towns
Belfast vs Freedom 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
Freedom has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
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 | Freedom | Boothbay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,986Highest |
670Lowest |
3,102 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.1% ME: +2.6% |
-3.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 60.6±3.1Highest 35% above ME |
40.1±2.7Lowest 10% below 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% |
22.2%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Freedom 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% |
22.1%±2.9Lowest 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% |
23.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
51.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1 ME: 5.8% |
0.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,679±$9kHighest 9% below ME |
$64,861±$12k 13% below ME |
$60,320±$17kLowest 19% below ME |
| Belfast and Freedom 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 |
$190,600±$69kLowest 36% 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 |
— | $1,147±$121Highest about the ME average |
| Boothbay and Belfast 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 |
$2,328 23% below ME |
$2,202Lowest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±14.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.1%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
30.4%±31 ME: 48.4% |
| Belfast and Boothbay 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% |
11.5% ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 13% below ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
13 minLowest 46% below ME |
| Work from home | 12%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
5.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Belfast and Freedom 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 | — | — |
| High school in town | Belfast Area High School | — | — |
| 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.