Compare towns
Belgrade vs Fayette vs Sidney
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).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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 | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,351 |
1,383Lowest |
4,790Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.3±14.6 6% above ME |
58.8±4.2Highest 31% above ME |
43±5.5Lowest 4% below ME |
| Fayette and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
15.7%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest 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%±6.4 ME: 22.4% |
37.2%±5.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
39.3% ME: 36.2% |
33.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±2 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Belgrade and Fayette 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 |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
| Belgrade and Sidney 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 |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
| Sidney 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 |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
| Sidney and Fayette 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 |
$3,160Highest 4% above ME |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.2%±35.9 ME: 48.4% |
46.8%±43.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Fayette and Belgrade 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% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 20.4%±8.6 ME: 15.9% |
22.1%±7.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Fayette 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 | — | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | Fayette Public Schools | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.