Compare towns

Beals vs Exeter vs Jonesport

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%).
Exeter has the highest household income ($84k).
Jonesport has grown the fastest since 2010 (-9.1%).

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.

MeasureBealsExeterJonesport
People
Population
498Lowest
1,093
1,166Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-12.8%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
-11.8%
ME: +2.6%
-9.1%Highest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
48±15.6
7% above ME
52.6±7.7Highest
17% above ME
43.7±12.9Lowest
about the ME average
Exeter and Beals 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%
16.7%±3.7Highest
ME: 18.1%
Jonesport 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%
26.5%±3.4
ME: 22.4%
Beals and Jonesport 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%
15%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
20.3%
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.8%±5.5Highest
ME: 5.8%
3.4%±2.1
ME: 5.8%
3.2%±2.3Lowest
ME: 5.8%
Beals and Exeter 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
$67,500±$13k
10% below ME
Exeter and Jonesport 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
$166,700±$39k
44% below ME
$142,000±$37kLowest
52% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$907±$378Lowest
20% below ME
$995±$386
13% below ME
$1,000±$109Highest
12% below ME
Jonesport 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
$1,800
41% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
7.4%±71.2Lowest
ME: 48.4%
33.3%±73.8
ME: 48.4%
57.4%±48Highest
ME: 48.4%
Jonesport and Exeter 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%
8.1%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
13.5%Highest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
83.9%
ME: 74.3%
93.1%Highest
ME: 74.3%
67.5%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1974Lowest
3 yrs older than ME
1991Highest
14 yrs newer than ME
1977
same as ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
21 min
17% below ME
35 minHighest
43% above ME
18 minLowest
28% below ME
Work from home
17.6%±10.9Highest
ME: 15.9%
10.3%±5.7
ME: 15.9%
8%±3Lowest
ME: 15.9%
Beals and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district Beals Public Schools — Jonesport Public Schools · Moosabec CSD
High school in town None in town — Jonesport-Beals High School
Students per teacherat that high school — —
9.2
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.