Compare towns
Belgrade vs Sidney vs Wayne 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%).
Wayne has the oldest population (median age 55.6).
Readfield has the oldest housing (typical home built 1979).
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 | Wayne | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,351 |
4,790Highest |
1,101Lowest |
2,651 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
0% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.3±14.6 6% above ME |
43±5.5Lowest 4% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
| Wayne 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% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest 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% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Belgrade 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 |
$83,488±$10kLowest 12% above ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$86,504±$8k 16% above ME |
| Wayne 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 |
$336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$326,400±$20k 10% above ME |
| Wayne and Sidney 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 |
$983±$554 14% below 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 |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
$3,289 8% above 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% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Readfield and Wayne 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% ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.4%±8.6 ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Readfield 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 38 | 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 Our Story | 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.