Compare towns
Belfast vs Unity vs Old Orchard Beach
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 highest household income ($68k).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Old Orchard Beach has the most expensive homes ($367k median).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity | Old Orchard Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,986 |
1,858Lowest |
9,244Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 60.6±3.1Highest 35% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
58±3.5 29% above ME |
| Belfast and Old Orchard Beach 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% |
14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
6.5%±2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Belfast and Unity 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% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
33.5%±4.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Belfast and Old Orchard Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
42.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
7%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,679±$9kHighest 9% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$60,050±$11kLowest 20% below ME |
| Belfast and Unity 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 |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$366,600±$38kHighest 24% above ME |
| Old Orchard Beach 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 |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,246±$182Highest 9% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,145Highest 37% above ME |
$2,510Lowest 17% below ME |
$3,426 13% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±14.4 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.7%±15Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Old Orchard Beach and Belfast are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
14.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.5% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 13% below ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
22 minHighest 11% below ME |
| Work from home | 12%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Old Orchard Beach 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 | — | #67 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 71 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 23 |
| High school in town | Belfast Area High School | Ecology Learning Ctr | Old Orchard Beach High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
12.4Highest |
7.6Lowest |
| 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.