Compare towns
Belfast vs Lewiston 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%).
Lewiston has the most kids (20.6% 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 | Lewiston | Boothbay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,986 |
38,324Highest |
3,102Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.4% ME: +2.6% |
-3.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 60.6±3.1Highest 35% above ME |
37.3±1.2Lowest 17% 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% |
20.6%±1.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 39.1%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±1.7Lowest 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% |
22.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
51.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.1%±1Highest ME: 5.8% |
6%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Lewiston and Boothbay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,679±$9kHighest 9% below ME |
$55,393±$4kLowest 26% below ME |
$60,320±$17k 19% below ME |
| Belfast and Boothbay 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 |
$235,100±$8kLowest 21% 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 |
$986±$44 13% below ME |
$1,147±$121Highest about the ME average |
| Boothbay and Lewiston 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 |
$2,899 5% below ME |
$2,202Lowest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±14.4 ME: 48.4% |
51.7%±5.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.4%±31Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Lewiston and Belfast are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16% ME: 10.7% |
20%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.5% ME: 74.3% |
51.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 10 yrs older than ME |
1957Lowest 20 yrs older than ME |
1976Highest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minHighest 13% below ME |
21 min 15% below ME |
13 minLowest 46% below ME |
| Work from home | 12%±6 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±2.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Lewiston 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 | #132 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 71 | Lewiston Public Schools · Acadia Academy | — |
| High school in town | Belfast Area High School | Lewiston High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
14.7Highest |
— |
| 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.