Compare towns
Belgrade vs Raymond vs Waterville
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 kids (22.6% under 18).
Raymond has the most people working from home (32.3%).
Waterville has the most renters (51.2% rent).
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 | Raymond | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,351Lowest |
4,610 |
17,077Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% ME: +2.6% |
+2.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.3±14.6Highest 6% above ME |
47.3±4.1Highest 6% above ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±4.9 ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Belgrade and Raymond 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% |
22.2%±5.5 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Belgrade and Raymond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.1% ME: 36.2% |
49.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,338±$13kHighest 18% above ME |
$88,194±$20k 18% above ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
| Belgrade and Raymond 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 |
$395,800±$42kHighest 33% above ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
| Raymond 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 |
$965±$397 15% below ME |
$978±$72Highest 14% below ME |
| Waterville and Raymond 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 |
$3,139Highest 3% above ME |
$2,755Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.2%±35.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
38.3%±62.5 ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Waterville and Raymond 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% |
5.3% ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.7% ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 7% below ME |
37 minHighest 50% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 20.4%±8.6 ME: 15.9% |
32.3%±11.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Raymond 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 | #112 of 133 in ME | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | RSU 14 | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.