Compare towns
Beals vs Cushing vs Appleton 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 shortest commute (21 min average).
Cushing has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
Appleton has the most renters (17.4% rent).
Whiting has the most homeowners (93.6%).
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 | Cushing | Appleton | Whiting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 498Lowest |
1,460Highest |
1,360 |
506 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2.1% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 48±15.6Lowest 7% above ME |
48.8±7.7 9% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
50±5Highest 12% above ME |
| Whiting and Appleton 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% |
17.1%±4 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.8%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Whiting and Cushing 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% |
20.5%±0.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
27.5%±6.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Beals and Whiting 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% |
38.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±5.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Beals and Appleton 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 |
$83,500±$19kHighest 12% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$55,263±$2k 26% below ME |
| Cushing 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±$45k 13% below ME |
$409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$214,200±$52kLowest 28% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $907±$378 20% below ME |
$1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$600±$333Lowest 47% below ME |
| Cushing and Appleton 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 |
$3,944Highest 30% above ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$1,728Lowest 43% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Cushing 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% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 17% below ME |
23 min 5% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
22 min 10% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±10.9 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Cushing and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Beals Public Schools | RSU 13 | Appleton Public Schools | Whiting Public Schools |
| 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.