Compare towns

Belgrade vs Bath vs Readfield

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 most kids (22.6% under 18).
Bath has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3%).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).

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.

MeasureBelgradeBathReadfield
People
Population
3,351
8,815Highest
2,651Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+1.9%
ME: +2.6%
+3%Highest
ME: +2.6%
0%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
47.3±14.6
6% above ME
45.4±3Lowest
about the ME average
48.1±7.6Highest
7% above ME
Readfield and Belgrade 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%
15.5%±3.7Lowest
ME: 18.1%
18.7%±3.9
ME: 18.1%
Belgrade and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
23.9%±6.4
ME: 22.4%
25.2%±4.1Highest
ME: 22.4%
22.3%±4.5Lowest
ME: 22.4%
Bath and Belgrade 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%
42.5%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
48.8%
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.7%±3.2Highest
ME: 5.8%
5.5%±2
ME: 5.8%
3.3%±2Lowest
ME: 5.8%
Belgrade and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$88,338±$13kHighest
18% above ME
$69,390±$12kLowest
7% below ME
$86,504±$8k
16% above ME
Belgrade and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$312,200±$44k
5% above ME
$310,900±$30kLowest
5% above ME
$326,400±$20kHighest
10% above ME
Readfield and Belgrade 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
$1,044±$116
8% below ME
$1,125±$844Highest
about the ME average
Readfield and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$2,859Lowest
6% below ME
$3,847Highest
27% above ME
$3,392
12% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
17.2%±35.9Lowest
ME: 48.4%
51.3%±15.2Highest
ME: 48.4%
31.3%±100
ME: 48.4%
Bath and Readfield 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%
12.4%Highest
ME: 10.7%
5%
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
93.8%Highest
ME: 74.3%
64.3%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
89.9%
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1985Highest
8 yrs newer than ME
1938Lowest
39 yrs older than ME
1979
2 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
23 minLowest
7% below ME
24 min
about the ME average
30 minHighest
20% above ME
Work from home
20.4%±8.6
ME: 15.9%
19.3%±6Lowest
ME: 15.9%
24.3%±14.9Highest
ME: 15.9%
Readfield and Belgrade 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 #31 of 133 in ME #20 of 133 in ME
School district RSU 18 RSU 01 - LKRSU RSU 38
High school in town None in town Morse High School Maranacook Community High Sch
Students per teacherat that high school —
14.8Highest
11.5Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story 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.