Compare towns
Belgrade vs Waterville vs Holden
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 people working from home (20.4%).
Waterville has the most renters (51.2% rent).
Holden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
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 | Waterville | Holden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,351Lowest |
17,077Highest |
3,352 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% ME: +2.6% |
+0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.3±14.6Highest 6% above ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
45±4.6 about the ME average |
| Belgrade and Holden 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% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.5%±5.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Belgrade and Holden 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% |
18.3%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
15.1%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Belgrade and Waterville 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% |
30.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,338±$13k 18% above ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
$92,200±$35kHighest 23% above ME |
| Holden 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±$44kHighest 5% above ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
$289,400±$70k about the ME average |
| Belgrade and Holden 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 |
$978±$72Highest 14% below ME |
— |
| Waterville and Belgrade 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 |
$2,755Lowest 9% below ME |
$3,221Highest 6% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.2%±35.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
22.8%±30.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Waterville and Holden 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% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8% ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 7% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 20.4%±8.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
13.8%±10.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Belgrade and Waterville 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 | #105 of 133 in ME | #61 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | Waterville Public Schools | RSU 63/MSAD 63 |
| High school in town | None in town | Waterville Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| 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.