Compare towns
Rome vs Belgrade vs Cushing
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rome has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.7%).
Belgrade has the most people working from home (20.4%).
Cushing has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
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 | Rome | Belgrade | Cushing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,215Lowest |
3,351Highest |
1,460 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.9% ME: +2.6% |
-2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.3±9.2 8% above ME |
47.3±14.6Lowest 6% above ME |
48.8±7.7Highest 9% above ME |
| Cushing and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±6.3 ME: 18.1% |
22.6%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Belgrade and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.7%±9.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±6.4 ME: 22.4% |
20.5%±0.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Rome and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.1% ME: 36.2% |
49.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
38.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.8 ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Belgrade and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,639±$25kLowest 4% above ME |
$88,338±$13kHighest 18% above ME |
$83,500±$19k 12% above ME |
| Belgrade and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $329,300±$36k 11% above ME |
$312,200±$44kLowest 5% above ME |
$409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$56 about the ME average |
$857±$108Lowest 25% below ME |
$1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
| Cushing and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,829Lowest 40% below ME |
$2,859 6% below ME |
$3,944Highest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±59.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
17.2%±35.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Rome and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9% ME: 74.3% |
93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 21% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
23 min 5% below ME |
| Work from home | 7.4%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.4%±8.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Belgrade and Cushing 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 | — |
| School district | — | RSU 18 | RSU 13 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.