Compare towns
New Gloucester vs Belgrade vs Poland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
New Gloucester has the highest household income ($109k).
Belgrade has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Poland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.9%).
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 | New Gloucester | Belgrade | Poland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,766 |
3,351Lowest |
5,954Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4% ME: +2.6% |
+1.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±5.5Lowest 10% below ME |
47.3±14.6Highest 6% above ME |
44.2±9.4 about the ME average |
| Belgrade and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.6%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±5.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| New Gloucester and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.8%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Belgrade and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.7% ME: 36.2% |
49.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Belgrade and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,797±$12kHighest 46% above ME |
$88,338±$13k 18% above ME |
$85,557±$23kLowest 14% above ME |
| New Gloucester and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,100±$29kHighest 20% above ME |
$312,200±$44k 5% above ME |
$283,600±$44kLowest 4% below ME |
| New Gloucester and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$249 about the ME average |
$857±$108Lowest 25% below ME |
$1,198±$128Highest 5% above ME |
| Poland and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,417Highest 13% above ME |
$2,859 6% below ME |
$2,774Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.7%±12 ME: 48.4% |
17.2%±35.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
61.6%±30.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Poland and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% ME: 74.3% |
93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.2%±6.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.4%±8.6 ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Poland 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 | #65 of 133 in ME | #71 of 133 in ME | #81 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | RSU 18 | RSU 16 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Poland Regional H S |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.2 |
| 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.