Compare towns
Beals vs Cushing vs Rome vs Brooklin
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).
Cushing has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
Rome has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.7%).
Brooklin has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
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 | Rome | Brooklin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 498Lowest |
1,460Highest |
1,215 |
869 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2.1% ME: +2.6% |
+13.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48±15.6Lowest 7% above ME |
48.8±7.7 9% above ME |
48.3±9.2 8% above ME |
49.2±3.7Highest 10% above ME |
| Brooklin and Cushing 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% |
17.1%±4 ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±6.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Rome 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% |
24.7%±9.1 ME: 22.4% |
24.7%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Beals and Rome 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% |
38.4% ME: 36.2% |
39.1% ME: 36.2% |
41.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±5.5 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±4.8 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 |
$83,500±$19kHighest 12% above ME |
$77,639±$25k 4% above ME |
$68,750±$8k 8% below ME |
| Cushing and Rome 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 |
$409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
$329,300±$36k 11% above ME |
$339,400±$90k 14% above ME |
| Cushing 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 |
$1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$1,150±$56 about the ME average |
$1,236±$137 9% above ME |
| Cushing 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 |
$3,944Highest 30% above ME |
$1,829 40% below ME |
$1,792Lowest 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
54.2%±59.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
29.5%±25 ME: 48.4% |
| Rome 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.3% ME: 10.7% |
7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
91.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 17% below ME |
23 min 5% below ME |
30 minHighest 21% above ME |
26 min 4% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±10.9 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.4%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.5%±6.8 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 | — | Brooklin 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.