Compare towns
Beals vs Embden vs Sumner
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 expensive homes ($257k median).
Embden has the oldest population (median age 60.6).
Sumner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
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 | Embden | Sumner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 498Lowest |
995Highest |
845 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.9% ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48±15.6Lowest 7% above ME |
60.6±5.1Highest 35% above ME |
56.1±8.4 25% above ME |
| Embden and Sumner 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% |
13.2%±5.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sumner and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.1%±5.1 ME: 22.4% |
34.6%±9.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Embden and Beals 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% |
16.2% ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±5.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Beals and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,063±$14kHighest 14% below ME |
$56,875±$23kLowest 24% below ME |
$57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
| Beals and Sumner 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 |
$173,400±$59k 42% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
| Beals and Embden 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 |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,580Highest 15% below ME |
$1,804Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,167 29% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 7.4%±71.2 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Beals 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% |
12.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
96.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 17% below ME |
33 min 34% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±10.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.7%±7.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8 ME: 15.9% |
| Embden and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Beals Public Schools | — | RSU 10 |
| High school in town | None 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.