Compare towns
Belgrade vs Lancaster vs Upton vs Readfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Belgrade has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Readfield has the oldest population (median age 48.1).
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 | Lancaster | Upton | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,351 |
8,606Highest |
8,189 |
2,651Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
0%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.3±14.6 22% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
48.1±7.6Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Readfield 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 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.3%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Belgrade and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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±$13k 9% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$86,504±$8kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $312,200±$44kLowest 6% below U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$326,400±$20k about the U.S. average |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $857±$108Lowest 39% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$948±$599 33% below U.S. |
$1,125±$844 20% below U.S. |
| Lancaster and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,859Lowest 8% below U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,392 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.2%±35.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.3%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.4%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.3%±14.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Readfield 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #20 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Maranacook Community High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2Lowest |
11.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.