Compare towns
Waldo vs Mars Hill vs Belfast
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waldo has the most people working from home (15.6%).
Mars Hill has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
Belfast has the most expensive homes ($341k 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 | Waldo | Mars Hill | Belfast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 926Lowest |
1,398 |
6,986Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME |
43.4±3 3% below ME |
60.6±3.1Highest 35% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20.2%±4.5 ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.2%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mars Hill and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
39.1%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4% ME: 36.2% |
26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
42.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mars Hill and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,458±$21kHighest 4% below ME |
$65,273±$9kLowest 13% below ME |
$67,679±$9k 9% below ME |
| Waldo and Belfast are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $208,000±$41k 30% below ME |
$163,600±$23kLowest 45% below ME |
$340,900±$34kHighest 15% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$691Highest about the ME average |
$488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
$962±$92 16% below ME |
| Waldo and Belfast are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
$1,843 39% below ME |
$4,145Highest 37% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
47.4%±14.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo and Belfast are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.4% ME: 10.7% |
9.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
70.6% ME: 74.3% |
68.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 20% below ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
22 minHighest 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12%±6 ME: 15.9% |
| Waldo 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 | — | — | #84 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Waldo-Region 7 | RSU 42/MSAD 42 | RSU 71 |
| High school in town | None in town | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S | Belfast Area High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.0Lowest |
11.3Highest |
| 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.