Compare towns
Belgrade vs Waterville 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
Waterville has the most renters (51.2% rent).
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 | Waterville | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,351 |
17,077Highest |
2,651Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7% ME: +2.6% |
0%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.3±14.6 6% above ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
| 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% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9 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% |
18.3%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5 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% |
30.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,338±$13kHighest 18% above ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% 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 |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
$326,400±$20kHighest 10% above ME |
| Readfield 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 |
$978±$72 14% below ME |
$1,125±$844Highest about the ME average |
| Readfield and Waterville 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 |
$3,392Highest 12% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.2%±35.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Waterville 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% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 7% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.4%±8.6 ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6Lowest 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 | #105 of 133 in ME | #20 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | Waterville Public Schools | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | Waterville Senior High School | Maranacook Community High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
11.5Lowest |
| 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.