Compare towns
Belfast vs Unity vs Waldo
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 most expensive homes ($341k median).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Waldo has the most kids (20.2% under 18).
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 | Waldo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,986Highest |
1,858 |
926Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 60.6±3.1Highest 35% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
37.5±9.6 16% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14.2%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Waldo 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% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
12.2%±1.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
36.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,679±$9k 9% below ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$71,458±$21kHighest 4% below ME |
| Waldo and Belfast are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,900±$34kHighest 15% above ME |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$208,000±$41k 30% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $962±$92 16% below ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,150±$691Highest about the ME average |
| Waldo 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 |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±14.4 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Lowest ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo 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% |
10.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
72.3% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minHighest 13% below ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 12%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Waldo 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 · Ecology Learning Center | Waldo-Region 7 |
| High school in town | Belfast Area High School | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
12.4Highest |
— |
| 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.