Compare towns
Beals vs Chapman vs Mapleton vs Whiting
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%).
Chapman has the most kids (27.6% under 18).
Mapleton has the youngest population (median age 41.8).
Whiting has the oldest population (median age 50).
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 | Chapman | Mapleton | Whiting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 498 |
388Lowest |
1,884Highest |
506 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | -3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 48±15.6 7% above ME |
45.7±11.4 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
50±5Highest 12% above ME |
| Whiting 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% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
17.8%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Chapman and Mapleton 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% |
27.6%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.5%±6.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Beals and Chapman 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% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±5.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Beals and Chapman 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 |
$93,125±$17kHighest 25% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$55,263±$2kLowest 26% below ME |
| Chapman and Mapleton 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 |
$185,700±$22kLowest 37% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$214,200±$52k 28% below ME |
| Beals and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $907±$378Highest 20% below ME |
— | $610±$277 46% below ME |
$600±$333Lowest 47% below ME |
| Beals and Mapleton 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 |
$1,850 39% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,728Lowest 43% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 7.4%±71.2 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Whiting and Mapleton 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% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.9% ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 17% below ME |
23 min 6% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
22 min 10% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±10.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±2.8 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 79/MSAD 01 | Whiting 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 | 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.