Compare towns
Beals vs Exeter 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 shortest commute (21 min average).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($167k median).
Brooklin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.4%).
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 | Exeter | Brooklin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 498Lowest |
1,093Highest |
869 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-11.8% ME: +2.6% |
+0.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48±15.6Lowest 7% above ME |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
49.2±3.7 10% above ME |
| Exeter and Brooklin 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% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±4.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Brooklin 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% |
23.9%±11.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.7%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Beals and Brooklin 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% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±5.5 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1Lowest 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 |
$84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
$68,750±$8k 8% below ME |
| Exeter and Brooklin 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 |
$166,700±$39kLowest 44% below ME |
$339,400±$90kHighest 14% above ME |
| Brooklin and Beals 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 |
$995±$386 13% below ME |
$1,236±$137Highest 9% above ME |
| Brooklin and Exeter 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 |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$1,792 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
29.5%±25 ME: 48.4% |
| Exeter and Brooklin 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% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 17% below ME |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
26 min 4% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±10.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.5%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Beals and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Beals Public Schools | — | Brooklin Public Schools |
| 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.