Compare towns
Belfast vs Mars Hill vs Kennebunk
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 oldest population (median age 60.6).
Mars Hill has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
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 | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,986 |
1,398Lowest |
11,820Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% ME: +2.6% |
-8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 60.6±3.1Highest 35% above ME |
43.4±3Lowest 3% below ME |
54.6±3.3 22% above ME |
| Belfast and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.2%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±3 ME: 18.1% |
| Mars Hill and Kennebunk 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% |
30%±4 ME: 22.4% |
| Belfast and Kennebunk 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% |
51.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Mars Hill and Kennebunk 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 |
$65,273±$9kLowest 13% below ME |
$107,804±$8kHighest 44% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,900±$34k 15% above ME |
$163,600±$23kLowest 45% below ME |
$487,700±$21kHighest 64% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $962±$92 16% below ME |
$488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
$1,425±$290Highest 25% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,145 37% above ME |
$1,843Lowest 39% below ME |
$4,999Highest 65% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±14.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Belfast and Kennebunk 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% |
7.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
70.6% ME: 74.3% |
80.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 13% below ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 12%±6 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #84 of 133 in ME | — | #9 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 71 | RSU 42/MSAD 42 | RSU 21 |
| High school in town | Belfast Area High School | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S | Kennebunk High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
8.0Lowest |
11.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.