Compare towns
Belgrade vs Jay 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 most people working from home (20.4%).
Jay has the most affordable homes ($169k median).
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 | Jay | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,351Lowest |
4,657 |
4,790Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.3±14.6Highest 6% above ME |
39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
43±5.5 4% 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% |
17.5%±5.4Lowest 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%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Belgrade and Jay 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% |
29.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Belgrade and Jay 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 |
$70,238±$19kLowest 6% 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 |
$168,600±$27kLowest 43% 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±$108 25% below ME |
$759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,859Highest 6% below ME |
$2,245Lowest 26% below ME |
$2,474 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.2%±35.9 ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Jay 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% |
9.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 7% below ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 20.4%±8.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Belgrade and Sidney 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 | #86 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | RSU 73 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | Spruce Mountain High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
— |
| 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.