Compare towns
Belgrade vs Readfield vs Rockland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Belgrade has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
Rockland has the shortest commute (12 min average).
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 | Readfield | Rockland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,351 |
2,651Lowest |
7,035Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
0% ME: +2.6% |
-4.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.3±14.6Lowest 6% above ME |
48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
49.3±6Highest 10% above ME |
| Rockland and Readfield 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% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Belgrade and Readfield 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% |
22.3%±4.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Rockland 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% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
35.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| 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±$13kHighest 18% above ME |
$86,504±$8k 16% above ME |
$56,533±$6kLowest 24% below ME |
| Belgrade and Readfield 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 |
$326,400±$20kHighest 10% above ME |
$245,800±$38kLowest 17% below 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±$108Lowest 25% below ME |
$1,125±$844Highest about the ME average |
$1,092±$105 4% below ME |
| Readfield and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,859Lowest 6% below ME |
$3,392 12% above ME |
$4,059Highest 34% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.2%±35.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±15.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Rockland 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% |
5% ME: 10.7% |
10.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
62%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1948Lowest 29 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 7% below ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
12 minLowest 50% below ME |
| Work from home | 20.4%±8.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
22.1%±7.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Rockland 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 | #96 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | RSU 38 | Rockland-Region 8 · RSU 13 |
| High school in town | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | Oceanside High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.