Compare towns
Belfast vs Mapleton vs Newburgh vs Searsport
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%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Newburgh has the most homeowners (81.2%).
Searsport has the most people working from home (20.2%).
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 | Mapleton | Newburgh | Searsport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,986Highest |
1,884 |
1,475Lowest |
2,655 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8% ME: +2.6% |
+1.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 60.6±3.1Highest 35% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
45.8±5.7 about the ME average |
42.9±7.2 4% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14.2%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.8%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
15.8%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Newburgh 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
23.7%±7.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
29.9% ME: 36.2% |
23.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±3.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Searsport 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$76,750±$10k about the ME average |
$64,303±$19kLowest 14% below ME |
| Mapleton and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,900±$34kHighest 15% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$244,600±$20k 18% below ME |
$224,400±$78k 24% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $962±$92 16% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$950±$219 17% below ME |
$1,105±$87Highest about the ME average |
| Searsport 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,748 9% below ME |
$2,225 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±14.4 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±13.9 ME: 48.4% |
48.2%±25.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Searsport 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% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.7% ME: 10.7% |
14.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
81.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
69.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 13% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
22 minLowest 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 12%±6 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.4%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±9.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Searsport 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 | — | — | #109 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 71 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | RSU 20 |
| High school in town | Belfast Area High School | None in town | — | Searsport District High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Highest |
— | — | 8.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.