Compare towns
Beals vs Appleton vs Sweden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Beals has the most people working from home (17.6%).
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Sweden has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
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 | Beals | Appleton | Sweden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 498Lowest |
1,360Highest |
537 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 48±15.6Lowest 7% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
51.1±19.2Highest 14% above ME |
| Sweden and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.1%±6.5 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.8%±5.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sweden and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.1%±5.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Beals and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±5.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Beals and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,063±$14k 14% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$73,750±$25kHighest about the ME average |
| Sweden and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,700±$45k 13% below ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$311,300±$61kHighest 5% above ME |
| Sweden and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $907±$378Lowest 20% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,667±$815Highest 46% above ME |
| Sweden and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,580Lowest 15% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,598 14% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
8.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Sweden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.8% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
14.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 17% below ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
31 minHighest 25% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±10.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
9.5%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Beals and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Beals Public Schools | Appleton Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.