Compare towns
Sidney vs Manchester vs Belgrade
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Manchester has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Belgrade has the most people working from home (20.4%).
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 | Sidney | Manchester | Belgrade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,790Highest |
2,424Lowest |
3,351 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±5.5Lowest 4% below ME |
46.9±4.6 5% above ME |
47.3±14.6Highest 6% above ME |
| Belgrade and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.6%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Belgrade and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.5% ME: 36.2% |
49.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Belgrade and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,488±$10kLowest 12% above ME |
$92,031±$16kHighest 23% above ME |
$88,338±$13k 18% above ME |
| Manchester and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$299,600±$40kLowest about the ME average |
$312,200±$44k 5% above ME |
| Sidney and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$993±$116 13% below ME |
$857±$108Lowest 25% below ME |
| Sidney and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
$3,486Highest 15% above ME |
$2,859 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±18.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
17.2%±35.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Manchester and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4% ME: 74.3% |
85%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest about the ME average |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
23 min 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.4%±8.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Belgrade and Sidney 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 | #15 of 133 in ME | — | #71 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | RSU 38 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.