Compare towns
Addison vs Bingham vs Jackson vs Beals
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bingham has the most affordable homes ($103k median).
Jackson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Beals has the shortest commute (21 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 | Addison | Bingham | Jackson | Beals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,045Highest |
660 |
567 |
498Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -9.3% ME: +2.6% |
-6.1% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.2±3.9 21% above ME |
56±8.2Highest 25% above ME |
37.7±5.8Lowest 16% below ME |
48±15.6 7% above ME |
| Bingham and Addison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±6.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±6.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Jackson and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±3.4 ME: 22.4% |
38.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.1%±5.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bingham and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.6% ME: 36.2% |
41.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
37.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±5.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Beals and Bingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $50,524±$8k 32% below ME |
$42,708±$22kLowest 43% below ME |
$75,167±$19kHighest about the ME average |
$64,063±$14k 14% below ME |
| Jackson and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $163,500±$28k 45% below ME |
$103,000±$26kLowest 65% below ME |
$231,500±$16k 22% below ME |
$256,700±$45kHighest 13% below ME |
| Beals and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $900±$807 21% below ME |
$354±$264Lowest 69% below ME |
$629±$12 45% below ME |
$907±$378Highest 20% below ME |
| Beals and Addison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,625 46% below ME |
$1,059Lowest 65% below ME |
$2,651Highest 13% below ME |
$2,580 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±47.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±45.9 ME: 48.4% |
6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
7.4%±71.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Addison and Bingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 22.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
16.1% ME: 10.7% |
13.8% ME: 10.7% |
10.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85% ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 11% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
21 minLowest 17% below ME |
| Work from home | 8.9%±4.8 ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.3%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±10.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Beals and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 37/MSAD 37 | RSU 83/MSAD 13 | — | Beals Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Upper Kennebec Valley Middle/Senior High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.3 |
— | — |
| 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.