Compare towns
Belfast vs Northport vs Wayne
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%).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
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 | Northport | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,986Highest |
1,621 |
1,101Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 60.6±3.1Highest 35% above ME |
56.6±3.8 26% above ME |
55.6±5.3Lowest 24% above ME |
| Belfast and Northport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.2%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Belfast and Northport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 39.1%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
39.2%±3.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Northport and Belfast 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% |
52.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,679±$9kLowest 9% below ME |
$73,523±$8k about the ME average |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
| Wayne and Northport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,900±$34kLowest 15% above ME |
$343,400±$36k 16% above ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
| Wayne and Northport 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 |
$1,088±$299Highest 4% below ME |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
| Northport and Wayne 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 |
$2,721Lowest 10% below ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±14.4 ME: 48.4% |
56.8%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Northport 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% |
5.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.6% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 13% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 12%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.2%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Northport 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 | Northport Public Schools | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | Belfast Area High School | None in town | 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.