Compare towns
Sidney vs Rochester vs Belgrade
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Rochester has the most renters (34% rent).
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 | Rochester | Belgrade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,790 |
33,144Highest |
3,351Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43±5.5Lowest 11% above U.S. |
43±1.8Lowest 11% above U.S. |
47.3±14.6Highest 22% above U.S. |
| Belgrade and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.1%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.9 U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.9%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Belgrade and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Belgrade and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,488±$10k 3% above U.S. |
$80,836±$3kLowest about the U.S. average |
$88,338±$13kHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Belgrade and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $336,200±$34kHighest about the U.S. average |
$279,100±$10kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$312,200±$44k 6% below U.S. |
| 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±$304 5% below U.S. |
$1,369±$72Highest 3% below U.S. |
$857±$108Lowest 39% below U.S. |
| Rochester and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,474Lowest 21% below U.S. |
$5,334Highest 71% above U.S. |
$2,859 8% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.4%±17.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.3%±7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
17.2%±35.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Rochester and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
66%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.3%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.4%±8.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #98 of 120 in NH | #71 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | Rochester School District | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | Spaulding High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.