Compare towns
Belgrade vs Mapleton vs Franklin 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).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Franklin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
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 | Mapleton | Franklin | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,351Highest |
1,884 |
1,628Lowest |
2,651 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
0% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.3±14.6 6% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
46±9.3 about the ME average |
48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
| 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%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Belgrade and Mapleton 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.6%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Franklin and Belgrade 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% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
28.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Belgrade and Mapleton 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 18% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$65,455±$16kLowest 12% below ME |
$86,504±$8k 16% above ME |
| Mapleton and Belgrade 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$245,800±$59k 17% 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±$108 25% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$888±$306 22% below ME |
$1,125±$844Highest about the ME average |
| Readfield and Franklin 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,231 27% below ME |
$3,392Highest 12% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.2%±35.9 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
36.7%±27.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Franklin 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
15.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
76.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.4%±8.6 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.2%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield 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 | — | — | #20 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | 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 | 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.