Compare towns
Belfast vs Wells 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 renters (31.5% rent).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Waldo has the most affordable homes ($208k 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 | Wells | Waldo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,986 |
11,713Highest |
926Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 60.6±3.1Highest 35% above ME |
53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14.2%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Waldo and Wells 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% |
31%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Belfast and Wells 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% |
43.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
36.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,679±$9kLowest 9% below ME |
$88,024±$11kHighest 18% above ME |
$71,458±$21k 4% below ME |
| Wells and Waldo 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 |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$208,000±$41kLowest 30% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $962±$92Lowest 16% below ME |
$1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
$1,150±$691 about the ME average |
| Wells and Waldo 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 |
$3,215 6% above ME |
$1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±14.4 ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 13% below ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 12%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Wells 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 | #22 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 71 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Waldo-Region 7 |
| High school in town | Belfast Area High School | Wells High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
11.4Highest |
— |
| 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.