Compare towns
Old Orchard Beach vs Belfast
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Old Orchard Beach has the most people working from home (15%).
Belfast has the most kids (14.2% under 18).
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 | Old Orchard Beach | Belfast |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 9,244Highest |
6,986Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 58±3.5Lowest 29% above ME |
60.6±3.1Highest 35% above ME |
| Belfast and Old Orchard Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 6.5%±2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.2%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 33.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
39.1%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Belfast and Old Orchard Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
42.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $60,050±$11kLowest 20% below ME |
$67,679±$9kHighest 9% below ME |
| Belfast and Old Orchard Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $366,600±$38kHighest 24% above ME |
$340,900±$34kLowest 15% above ME |
| Old Orchard Beach and Belfast are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,246±$182Highest 9% above ME |
$962±$92Lowest 16% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,426Lowest 13% above ME |
$4,145Highest 37% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±15Highest ME: 48.4% |
47.4%±14.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Old Orchard Beach and Belfast are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 14.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
68.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minHighest 11% below ME |
22 minLowest 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 15%±4.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
12%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Old Orchard Beach 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 | #67 of 133 in ME | #84 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 71 |
| High school in town | — | Belfast Area High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.