Compare towns
Belgrade vs Franklin vs Rome
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 people working from home (20.4%).
Franklin has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
Rome has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.7%).
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 | Franklin | Rome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,351Highest |
1,628 |
1,215Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.7% ME: +2.6% |
+13.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.3±14.6 6% above ME |
46±9.3Lowest about the ME average |
48.3±9.2Highest 8% above ME |
| Rome 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% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±6.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Belgrade and Rome 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% |
25.6%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.7%±9.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Franklin and Rome 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% |
28.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±4.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Belgrade and Rome 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 |
$65,455±$16kLowest 12% below ME |
$77,639±$25k 4% above ME |
| Belgrade and Rome 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 |
$245,800±$59kLowest 17% below ME |
$329,300±$36kHighest 11% above ME |
| Rome 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 |
$888±$306 22% below ME |
$1,150±$56Highest about the ME average |
| Rome and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,859Highest 6% below ME |
$2,231 27% below ME |
$1,829Lowest 40% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.2%±35.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
36.7%±27.8 ME: 48.4% |
54.2%±59.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Rome and Franklin 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% |
15.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
76.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1984Lowest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
30 minHighest 21% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.4%±8.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.2%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
7.4%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Belgrade and Franklin 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 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.