Compare towns
Beals vs Bingham vs Mapleton vs Jonesport
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%).
Bingham has the most affordable homes ($103k median).
Mapleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (-3.2%).
Jonesport has the most renters (32.5% rent).
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 | Bingham | Mapleton | Jonesport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 498Lowest |
660 |
1,884Highest |
1,166 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-6.1% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-9.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48±15.6 7% above ME |
56±8.2Highest 25% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
43.7±12.9 about the ME average |
| Bingham and Beals 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% |
15.6%±6.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Jonesport 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% |
38.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.5%±3.4 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+ | 37.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.6% ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
20.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±5.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Beals and Mapleton 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 |
$42,708±$22kLowest 43% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$67,500±$13k 10% below ME |
| Mapleton and Jonesport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,700±$45kHighest 13% below ME |
$103,000±$26kLowest 65% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$142,000±$37k 52% below ME |
| Beals and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $907±$378 20% below ME |
$354±$264Lowest 69% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$1,000±$109Highest 12% below ME |
| Jonesport and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,580Highest 15% below ME |
$1,059Lowest 65% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,800 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±45.9 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
57.4%±48Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Jonesport and Bingham 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% |
16.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.9% ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
67.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 17% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
18 minLowest 28% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±10.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±6 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
8%±3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Beals and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Beals Public Schools | RSU 83/MSAD 13 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Jonesport Public Schools · Moosabec CSD |
| High school in town | None in town | Upper Kennebec Valley Middle/Senior High School | None in town | Jonesport-Beals High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.3Lowest |
— | 9.2Highest |
| 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.