Compare towns
Belfast vs Thorndike vs Harpswell
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 shortest commute (22 min average).
Thorndike has the most kids (49.8% under 18).
Harpswell has the most expensive homes ($610k median).
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 | Thorndike | Harpswell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,986Highest |
1,403Lowest |
5,046 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% ME: +2.6% |
-13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 60.6±3.1 35% above ME |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
62±1.5Highest 38% above ME |
| Harpswell and Belfast 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% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
8.8%±2.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 39.1%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
38.6%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Belfast and Harpswell 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% |
25.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
52.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Harpswell and Thorndike are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,679±$9kLowest 9% below ME |
$78,438±$14k 5% above ME |
$96,250±$15kHighest 29% above ME |
| Harpswell and Thorndike 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 |
$205,600±$88kLowest 31% below ME |
$609,700±$60kHighest 106% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $962±$92 16% below ME |
$836±$317Lowest 27% below ME |
$1,348±$53Highest 18% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,145Highest 37% above ME |
$2,537Lowest 16% below ME |
$3,141 3% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±14.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5 ME: 48.4% |
24.9%±5.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Belfast and Thorndike 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% |
6.5% ME: 10.7% |
5.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 13% below ME |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 12%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
20.7%±6.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike and Harpswell 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 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Belfast Area High School | Mt View High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
11.7Highest |
— |
| 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.