What stands out worked out from the figures below

Beals has the most affordable homes ($257k median).

Brooklin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Beals	Brooklin
People
Population	498Lowest	869Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+0.4%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	48±15.6Lowest 7% above ME	49.2±3.7Highest 10% above ME
	Brooklin and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.1%±6.5Lowest ME: 18.1%	16.3%±4.2Highest ME: 18.1%
	Brooklin 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%	24.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Beals and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	37.6%Lowest ME: 36.2%	41.8%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±5.5Lowest ME: 5.8%	7.2%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8%
	Brooklin and Beals 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	$68,750±$8kHighest 8% below ME
	Brooklin 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±$45kLowest 13% below ME	$339,400±$90kHighest 14% above ME
	Brooklin 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	$1,236±$137Highest 9% above ME
	Brooklin 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	$1,792Lowest 41% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4%	29.5%±25Highest ME: 48.4%
	Brooklin and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.8%Highest ME: 10.7%	7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.9%Lowest ME: 74.3%	84.4%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME	1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 17% below ME	26 minHighest 4% above ME
Work from home	17.6%±10.9Highest ME: 15.9%	16.5%±6.8Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Beals and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Beals Public Schools	Brooklin Public Schools
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.