Compare towns
Beals vs Brooklin vs Solon vs Addison
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).
Brooklin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.4%).
Solon has the most kids (17.2% under 18).
Addison has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
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 | Solon | Addison |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 498Lowest |
869 |
963 |
1,045Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.1% ME: +2.6% |
-9.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48±15.6 7% above ME |
49.2±3.7 10% above ME |
45.9±5.4Lowest about the ME average |
54.2±3.9Highest 21% above ME |
| Addison and Brooklin 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% |
16.3%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.7%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Solon 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% |
23.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.4 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% ME: 36.2% |
41.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25% ME: 36.2% |
19.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±5.5 ME: 5.8% |
7.2%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±1.4 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±$14k 14% below ME |
$68,750±$8k 8% below ME |
$69,205±$20kHighest 7% below ME |
$50,524±$8kLowest 32% below ME |
| Solon and Brooklin 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 |
$339,400±$90kHighest 14% above ME |
$183,600±$12k 38% below ME |
$163,500±$28kLowest 45% below 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±$378 20% below ME |
$1,236±$137Highest 9% above ME |
$915±$100 20% below ME |
$900±$807Lowest 21% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,580Highest 15% below ME |
$1,792 41% below ME |
$1,854 39% below ME |
$1,625Lowest 46% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
29.5%±25 ME: 48.4% |
14.6%±48.8 ME: 48.4% |
60%±47.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Addison and Brooklin 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% |
7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.7% ME: 10.7% |
22.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.4% ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 17% below ME |
26 min 4% above ME |
52 minHighest 113% above ME |
27 min 11% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±10.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.5%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
9.1%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
8.9%±4.8Lowest 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 | RSU 74/MSAD 74 | RSU 37/MSAD 37 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.