Compare towns
Beals vs Arrowsic 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 shortest commute (21 min average).
Arrowsic has the most expensive homes ($584k median).
Sweden has the oldest population (median age 51.1).
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 | Arrowsic | Sweden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 498Lowest |
597Highest |
537 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.8% ME: +2.6% |
— | — |
| Median age | 48±15.6Lowest 7% above ME |
50.3±8.7 12% above ME |
51.1±19.2Highest 14% above ME |
| Sweden and Arrowsic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.1%±6.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.4%±7.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
21.8%±5.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Arrowsic and Sweden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.1%±5.1 ME: 22.4% |
31.8%±11.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Arrowsic and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.6% ME: 36.2% |
64.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±5.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Beals and Arrowsic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,063±$14kLowest 14% below ME |
$99,107±$27kHighest 33% above ME |
$73,750±$25k about the ME average |
| Arrowsic and Sweden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,700±$45kLowest 13% below ME |
$584,200±$150kHighest 97% above ME |
$311,300±$61k 5% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $907±$378Lowest 20% below ME |
$1,600±$412 40% above ME |
$1,667±$815Highest 46% above ME |
| Sweden and Arrowsic 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 |
$3,521Highest 16% above ME |
$2,598 14% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 7.4%±71.2 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
8.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Sweden and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
14.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
92.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 17% below ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
31 minHighest 25% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±10.9 ME: 15.9% |
20.6%±9Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.5%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Arrowsic and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Beals Public Schools | — | — |
| High school 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.