Compare towns
Belgrade vs Appleton vs Mount Vernon vs Smithfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Belgrade has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Mount Vernon has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Smithfield has the highest household income ($108k).
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 | Belgrade | Appleton | Mount Vernon | Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,351Highest |
1,360 |
1,716 |
856Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.9% ME: +2.6% |
-10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.3±14.6 6% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
47.1±6.2Lowest 5% above ME |
55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
| Smithfield and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
10%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Belgrade and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±6.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
26.5%±1.5 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Smithfield and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
42.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Belgrade and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $88,338±$13k 18% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$74,395±$6k about the ME average |
$107,917±$27kHighest 44% above ME |
| Smithfield and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $312,200±$44kHighest 5% above ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$264,200±$23k 11% below ME |
$242,800±$15k 18% below ME |
| Belgrade and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $857±$108Lowest 25% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$893±$168 22% below ME |
$1,109±$358Highest about the ME average |
| Smithfield and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,859 6% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,832Lowest 7% below ME |
$2,866 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.2%±35.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±36.9 ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±45.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.8% ME: 10.7% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.8% ME: 74.3% |
88.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
33 minHighest 32% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.4%±8.6 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
28.3%±11.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
22%±7.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Vernon and Smithfield 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 | #71 of 133 in ME | — | — | — |
| School district | RSU 18 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 38 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.