Compare towns
Belgrade vs Readfield vs Saco
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).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
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 | Readfield | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,351 |
2,651Lowest |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% ME: +2.6% |
0%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.3±14.6 6% above ME |
48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
44.9±1.5Lowest about the ME average |
| 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% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest 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%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
43.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Belgrade and Saco 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 |
$86,504±$8kLowest 16% above ME |
$92,241±$11kHighest 23% above ME |
| Saco 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±$44kLowest 5% above ME |
$326,400±$20k 10% above ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $857±$108Lowest 25% below ME |
$1,125±$844 about the ME average |
$1,249±$385Highest 10% above ME |
| Saco and Readfield 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 |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.2%±35.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Saco 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% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 20.4%±8.6 ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Lowest 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 | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | RSU 38 | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.