Compare towns
Belgrade vs Fayette 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 shortest commute (23 min average).
Fayette has the oldest population (median age 58.8).
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.
| Measure | Belgrade | Fayette | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,351Highest |
1,383Lowest |
2,651 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8% ME: +2.6% |
0%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.3±14.6Lowest 6% above ME |
58.8±4.2Highest 31% above ME |
48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
| Fayette and Readfield 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% |
15.7%±4.4Lowest 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% |
37.2%±5.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Belgrade and Readfield 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 |
$59,500±$17kLowest 20% 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 |
$257,600±$48kLowest 13% below 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 |
$983±$816 14% below ME |
$1,125±$844Highest about the ME average |
| Readfield and Fayette 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 |
$3,160 4% above ME |
$3,392Highest 12% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.2%±35.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
46.8%±43.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Fayette 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% |
7.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.4%±8.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22.1%±7.1 ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Fayette 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 | — | #20 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | Fayette Public Schools | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.5 |
| 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.