Compare towns
Mars Hill vs Belfast vs Westfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mars Hill has the most kids (22.9% under 18).
Belfast has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
Westfield has the most people working from home (36.6%).
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 | Mars Hill | Belfast | Westfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,398 |
6,986Highest |
389Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.9% ME: +2.6% |
+4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-17.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±3Lowest 3% below ME |
60.6±3.1Highest 35% above ME |
47.5±5 6% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.2%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
8.7%±4.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mars Hill and Belfast are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±5.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
39.1%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.2%±7.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Belfast and Westfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26% ME: 36.2% |
42.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
18.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±3.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1 ME: 5.8% |
0%±4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mars Hill and Belfast are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,273±$9k 13% below ME |
$67,679±$9kHighest 9% below ME |
$52,917±$17kLowest 29% below ME |
| Belfast and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $163,600±$23k 45% below ME |
$340,900±$34kHighest 15% above ME |
$134,400±$61kLowest 55% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
$962±$92Highest 16% below ME |
$950±$175 17% below ME |
| Belfast and Westfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,843 39% below ME |
$4,145Highest 37% above ME |
$1,550Lowest 49% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.6%±7.1 ME: 48.4% |
47.4%±14.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Belfast and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.6% ME: 74.3% |
68.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 14% below ME |
22 minHighest 13% below ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±6.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12%±6 ME: 15.9% |
36.6%±31.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Westfield and Belfast 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 | — | #84 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 42/MSAD 42 | RSU 71 | — |
| High school in town | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S | Belfast Area High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.0Lowest |
11.3Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.