States › Maine › Belfast

Is Belfast, ME expensive to live in?

CheapRent takes 17 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,06140% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$72,992about $6,083/month · 16% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$340,9002% higher than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 84% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 4.7 years of household income.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $42,440 a year. That is $20 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Maine cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of Maine. It is number 3 of 34 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Belfast
$1,061
Rockland
$1,498
Topsham
$1,645
Skowhegan
$991
Caribou
$1,194
Old Town
$1,091
Gorham
$1,866

How much do households earn in Belfast?

Under $25k
18.7%
$25k–50k
22.1%
$50k–100k
36.9%
$100k–150k
10.1%
$150k+
8.9%

Share of households by yearly income. 19.0% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Belfast

SizeBelfastU.S. average
Studio$1,003$1,338
1 bedroom$821$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,079$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,525$1,698

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Belfast overall?

Everyday prices in Maine overall are 3% below the U.S. average (index 97.0, U.S. = 100).

Housing
79
Goods (food, clothes…)
97
Utilities
135
Other services
103
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Belfast, so the Maine figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Belfast

🏛️ Property tax$4,145a year · 1.22% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$128a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Belfast

Commute to work21.5 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree42.9%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home68.5%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line16%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment0.6%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Belfast?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $1,304 a month less.

Renting
$1,061
Owning
$2,365

Owning assumes a typical $340,900 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $34,090 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Belfast, ME?

Renting in Belfast costs a median of about $1,061 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Maine median is $1,452.

How much do I need to make to live in Belfast?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $42,440 a year, or $20 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Belfast cheap or expensive?

Belfast is rated Cheap: rent takes 17.4% of the typical household income of $72,992. It ranks 3rd cheapest of 34 Maine cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Belfast?

The median homeowner in Belfast pays $4,145 a year in property taxes, about 1.22% of the median home value.

Is Belfast more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Maine are 3% below the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Belfast?

The median home value in Belfast is $340,900, about 4.7 times the typical yearly household income.

6,986 people live in Belfast. Numbers are typical (middle) values.