Compare towns
Beals vs Exeter vs Whiting
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).
Whiting has the most kids (17.8% 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 | Exeter | Whiting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 498Lowest |
1,093Highest |
506 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 48±15.6Lowest 7% above ME |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
50±5 12% above ME |
| Exeter and Whiting 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% |
17.8%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Whiting 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% |
27.5%±6.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Beals and Whiting 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% |
34.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±5.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest 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±$14k 14% below ME |
$84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
$55,263±$2kLowest 26% below ME |
| Exeter 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±$45kHighest 13% below ME |
$166,700±$39kLowest 44% below ME |
$214,200±$52k 28% below ME |
| Beals and Whiting 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 |
$995±$386Highest 13% below ME |
$600±$333Lowest 47% below ME |
| Exeter and Beals 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 |
$1,728 43% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 10.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.1% ME: 74.3% |
93.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 17% below ME |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
22 min 10% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±10.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±2.8Lowest 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 | — | Whiting 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.