Compare towns
Belgrade vs Meredith vs Orrington
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 most kids (22.6% under 18).
Meredith has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
Orrington has the highest household income ($95k).
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 | Meredith | Orrington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,351Lowest |
6,758Highest |
3,853 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.3±14.6Lowest 22% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
49.5±3.3 27% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Orrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Belgrade and Orrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±6.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.8%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Belgrade and Orrington 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. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$94,556±$10kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Orrington 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 6% below U.S. |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$309,000±$49kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $857±$108Lowest 39% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304 19% below U.S. |
$1,167±$135Highest 17% below U.S. |
| Orrington and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,859 8% below U.S. |
$5,006Highest 61% above U.S. |
$2,823Lowest 9% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.2%±35.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
11.9%±20.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Meredith 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 13% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
21 minLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.4%±8.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith 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 | #62 of 120 in NH | #41 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Orrington Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.