Compare towns
Belfast vs Windham 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 most affordable homes ($341k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Old Orchard Beach has the most renters (31.8% rent).
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 | Windham | Old Orchard Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,986Lowest |
19,188Highest |
9,244 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 60.6±3.1Highest 35% above ME |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% 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%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
6.5%±2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Windham 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% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest 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% ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
42.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
7%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,679±$9k 9% below ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$60,050±$11kLowest 20% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,900±$34kLowest 15% above ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$366,600±$38k 24% above ME |
| Windham and Old Orchard Beach 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 |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$1,246±$182Highest 9% above ME |
| Old Orchard Beach and Windham 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 |
$3,938 30% above ME |
$3,426Lowest 13% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±14.4 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
14.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.5% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 13% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
22 min 11% below ME |
| Work from home | 12%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
15%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Windham 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 | #95 of 133 in ME | #67 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 71 | RSU 14 | RSU 23 |
| High school in town | Belfast Area High School | Windham High School | Old Orchard Beach High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
12.1Highest |
7.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.