Compare towns
Belfast vs Mars Hill 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%).
Mars Hill has the most kids (22.9% 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 | Mars Hill | Boothbay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,986Highest |
1,398Lowest |
3,102 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 60.6±3.1Highest 35% above ME |
43.4±3Lowest 3% 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% |
22.9%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mars Hill 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% |
24.5%±5.8Lowest 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% |
26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
51.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4 ME: 5.8% |
6%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Boothbay and Mars Hill 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 |
$65,273±$9k 13% below ME |
$60,320±$17kLowest 19% below ME |
| Belfast and Mars Hill 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 |
$163,600±$23kLowest 45% 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±$92 16% below ME |
$488±$96Lowest 57% 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 |
$1,843Lowest 39% below ME |
$2,202 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±14.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1 ME: 48.4% |
30.4%±31Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Belfast and Mars Hill 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% |
9.6% ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
70.6% ME: 74.3% |
78.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1976Highest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minHighest 13% below ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
13 minLowest 46% below ME |
| Work from home | 12%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6 ME: 15.9% |
5.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Belfast and Mars Hill 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 42/MSAD 42 | — |
| High school in town | Belfast Area High School | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Highest |
8.0Lowest |
— |
| 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.