Compare towns
Belgrade vs Durham vs Sidney vs Standish
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 oldest population (median age 47.3).
Durham has the most people working from home (20.9%).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Standish has the highest household income ($105k).
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 | Durham | Sidney | Standish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,351Lowest |
4,262 |
4,790 |
10,662Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.3±14.6Highest 6% above ME |
42.6±5.9 5% below ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
40.5±2.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Belgrade and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
19.7%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.6%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Belgrade and Sidney 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% |
34.8% ME: 36.2% |
33.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
36% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $88,338±$13k 18% above ME |
$99,181±$5k 33% above ME |
$83,488±$10kLowest 12% above ME |
$104,593±$15kHighest 40% above ME |
| Standish and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $312,200±$44kLowest 5% above ME |
$322,200±$34k 9% above ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$336,000±$18k 13% above ME |
| Sidney and Standish 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 |
— | $1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$983±$453 14% below ME |
| Sidney and Standish 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 |
$3,781Highest 25% above ME |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
$3,005 about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.2%±35.9 ME: 48.4% |
25%±40.9 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
57.4%±22.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Standish and Durham 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% |
4.2% ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
7.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8% ME: 74.3% |
95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.4%±8.6 ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
13.6%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Durham 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 | #14 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME | #18 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | RSU 05 | RSU 18 | RSU 06/MSAD 06 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Bonny Eagle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.5 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.