Compare towns
Beals vs Brooklin vs Saco
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 affordable homes ($257k median).
Brooklin has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
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 | Brooklin | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 498Lowest |
869 |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.4% ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48±15.6 7% above ME |
49.2±3.7Highest 10% above ME |
44.9±1.5Lowest about the ME average |
| 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%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Saco and Brooklin 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%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest 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% ME: 36.2% |
43.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±5.5 ME: 5.8% |
7.2%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Lowest 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±$8k 8% below ME |
$92,241±$11kHighest 23% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,700±$45kLowest 13% below ME |
$339,400±$90k 14% above ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
| Saco and Brooklin 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±$137 9% above ME |
$1,249±$385Highest 10% above ME |
| Saco and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,580 15% below ME |
$1,792Lowest 41% below ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
29.5%±25 ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Saco and Brooklin 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% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 17% below ME |
26 minHighest 4% above ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±10.9 ME: 15.9% |
16.5%±6.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Saco and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Beals Public Schools | Brooklin Public Schools | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | None 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.