Compare towns
Bowdoinham vs Belgrade vs Richmond
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bowdoinham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
Belgrade has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Richmond has the most renters (30.1% rent).
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 | Bowdoinham | Belgrade | Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,142Lowest |
3,351 |
3,566Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51.9±13.1Highest 16% above ME |
47.3±14.6 6% above ME |
36.9±3.8Lowest 18% below ME |
| Bowdoinham and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±6.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.6%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
23%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Richmond and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±6.7 ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.6%±3.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Belgrade and Bowdoinham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.8% ME: 36.2% |
49.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.7%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Belgrade and Richmond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,479±$21kHighest 45% above ME |
$88,338±$13k 18% above ME |
$65,854±$10kLowest 12% below ME |
| Bowdoinham and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $405,500±$105kHighest 37% above ME |
$312,200±$44k 5% above ME |
$242,700±$27kLowest 18% below ME |
| Bowdoinham 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 |
$1,077±$166Highest 5% below ME |
| Richmond and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,958 about the ME average |
$2,859Lowest 6% below ME |
$3,143Highest 4% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±19.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
17.2%±35.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
47%±23.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 13.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
69.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 10% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
29 minHighest 19% above ME |
| Work from home | 22%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
20.4%±8.6 ME: 15.9% |
16.5%±6.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bowdoinham 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 | #73 of 133 in ME | #71 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 18 | Richmond Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Richmond High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 12 photos → | 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.