Compare towns
Belgrade vs Sidney vs Sumner 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).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Sumner has the most affordable homes ($150k median).
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 | Sidney | Sumner | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,351 |
4,790Highest |
845Lowest |
2,651 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9% ME: +2.6% |
0%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.3±14.6 6% above ME |
43±5.5Lowest 4% below ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
| Sumner and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Belgrade 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% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner 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% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 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 |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
$86,504±$8k 16% above 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 |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$326,400±$20k 10% above ME |
| Sidney and Readfield 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 |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
— | $1,125±$844 about the ME average |
| Sidney and Readfield 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 |
$2,474 19% below ME |
$2,167Lowest 29% below ME |
$3,392Highest 12% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.2%±35.9 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner 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% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.4%±8.6 ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8 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 | #15 of 133 in ME | — | #20 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | RSU 18 | RSU 10 | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None 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 History | 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.