Compare towns
Rome vs Mapleton vs Mount Vernon vs Belgrade
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%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Mount Vernon has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Belgrade has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Mapleton | Mount Vernon | Belgrade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,215Lowest |
1,884 |
1,716 |
3,351Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.9% ME: +2.6% |
+1.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.3±9.2Highest 8% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
47.1±6.2 5% above ME |
47.3±14.6 6% above ME |
| Rome and Belgrade 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% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.6%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Belgrade and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.7%±9.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.5%±1.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±6.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Mount Vernon and Rome 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% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
42.3% ME: 36.2% |
49.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.8 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±3.2Highest 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±$25k 4% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$74,395±$6kLowest about the ME average |
$88,338±$13k 18% above ME |
| Mapleton and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $329,300±$36kHighest 11% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$264,200±$23k 11% below ME |
$312,200±$44k 5% above ME |
| Rome and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$56Highest about the ME average |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$893±$168 22% below ME |
$857±$108 25% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,829 40% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,832 7% below ME |
$2,859Highest 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±59.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±36.9 ME: 48.4% |
17.2%±35.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Rome and Mount Vernon 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
4.8% ME: 10.7% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.8% ME: 74.3% |
93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 21% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 7.4%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
28.3%±11.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
20.4%±8.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Vernon 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 | — | — | — | #71 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 38 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.