Compare towns
Beals vs Danforth vs Sweden
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%).
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($85k median).
Sweden has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
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 | Danforth | Sweden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 498 |
452Lowest |
537Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.8% ME: +2.6% |
— | — |
| Median age | 48±15.6Lowest 7% above ME |
51.9±5.3Highest 16% above ME |
51.1±19.2 14% above ME |
| Danforth and Sweden 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% |
14.8%±6.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.8%±5.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sweden and Beals 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% |
22.6%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Beals and Danforth 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% |
4.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±5.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Beals and Sweden 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 |
$42,264±$11kLowest 43% below ME |
$73,750±$25kHighest about the ME average |
| Sweden 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 |
$85,200±$20kLowest 71% below ME |
$311,300±$61kHighest 5% above ME |
| Sweden 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 |
$629±$22Lowest 45% below ME |
$1,667±$815Highest 46% above ME |
| Sweden and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,580Lowest 15% below ME |
— | $2,598Highest 14% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
11.5%±71.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
8.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Danforth and Sweden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
14.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.9% ME: 74.3% |
79.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 17% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
31 minHighest 25% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±10.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
3%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.5%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Beals and Sweden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Beals Public Schools | — | — |
| High school 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.