Compare towns
Belfast vs Harpswell 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 kids (14.2% under 18).
Harpswell has the most expensive homes ($610k median).
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 | Harpswell | Boothbay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,986Highest |
5,046 |
3,102Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% ME: +2.6% |
+6.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 60.6±3.1 35% above ME |
62±1.5Highest 38% above ME |
56.8±3.9Lowest 27% above ME |
| Harpswell and Belfast are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.2%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
8.8%±2.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
11.5%±3.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Belfast and Boothbay 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% |
38.6%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
35.4%±7.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Belfast and Harpswell 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% |
52.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
51.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
6%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Boothbay and Harpswell 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 |
$96,250±$15kHighest 29% above ME |
$60,320±$17kLowest 19% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,900±$34kLowest 15% above ME |
$609,700±$60kHighest 106% above ME |
$342,100±$43k 15% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $962±$92Lowest 16% below ME |
$1,348±$53Highest 18% above ME |
$1,147±$121 about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,145Highest 37% above ME |
$3,141 3% above ME |
$2,202Lowest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±14.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.9%±5.5Lowest 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% |
5.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.3%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 |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
13 minLowest 46% below ME |
| Work from home | 12%±6 ME: 15.9% |
20.7%±6.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Harpswell 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 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | — |
| 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.