Compare towns
Belfast vs Hope 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).
Hope has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).
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 | Hope | Boothbay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,986Highest |
1,748Lowest |
3,102 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 60.6±3.1Highest 35% above ME |
44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
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% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Hope 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% |
21.1%±1.3Lowest 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.4% ME: 36.2% |
51.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
6%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Boothbay and Hope 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 |
$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME |
$60,320±$17kLowest 19% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,900±$34kLowest 15% above ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
$342,100±$43k 15% above ME |
| Hope and Boothbay 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 |
$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
$1,147±$121 about the ME average |
| Hope and Boothbay 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 |
$3,842 27% above ME |
$2,202Lowest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±14.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
30.4%±31Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Belfast and Hope 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% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minHighest 13% below ME |
20 min 19% below ME |
13 minLowest 46% below ME |
| Work from home | 12%±6 ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Hope 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 | Hope 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.