Compare towns
Belgrade vs Sidney vs Winthrop vs Orrington
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 homeowners (93.8%).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Winthrop has the most people working from home (23.1%).
Orrington has the highest household income ($95k).
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 | Winthrop | Orrington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,351Lowest |
4,790 |
6,191Highest |
3,853 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.3±14.6 6% above ME |
43±5.5Lowest 4% below ME |
43.6±5.3 about the ME average |
49.5±3.3Highest 10% above ME |
| Orrington and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Winthrop 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% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.4%±5 ME: 22.4% |
23.8%±5.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Belgrade and Orrington 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% |
40% ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Belgrade and Orrington 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 |
$86,470±$4k 16% above ME |
$94,556±$10kHighest 27% above ME |
| Orrington 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±$44k 5% above ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$294,800±$41kLowest about the ME average |
$309,000±$49k 4% above ME |
| Sidney 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 |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$892±$319 22% below ME |
$1,167±$135 about the ME average |
| Sidney and Orrington 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 |
$3,506Highest 15% above ME |
$2,823 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.2%±35.9 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
50.8%±22.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
11.9%±20.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Winthrop and Belgrade 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% |
12.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
92.5% ME: 74.3% |
88.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 7% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 20.4%±8.6 ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
23.1%±6.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Winthrop 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 | #12 of 133 in ME | #41 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | RSU 18 | Winthrop Public Schools | Orrington Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Winthrop High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.7 |
— |
| 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.