Compare towns
Beals vs Hampden vs Ogunquit 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 affordable homes ($257k median).
Hampden has the most kids (25.8% under 18).
Ogunquit has the most expensive homes ($876k median).
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 | Hampden | Ogunquit | Sweden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 498Lowest |
7,896Highest |
1,379 |
537 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 48±15.6 7% above ME |
41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
51.1±19.2 14% above ME |
| Ogunquit 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% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.8%±5.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Sweden 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% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±8 ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit 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% ME: 36.2% |
45.9% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±5.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Beals and Hampden 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 |
$111,959±$13k 50% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$73,750±$25k about the ME average |
| Ogunquit and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,700±$45kLowest 13% below ME |
$301,300±$38k about the ME average |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$311,300±$61k 5% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $907±$378Lowest 20% below ME |
$1,286±$317 13% above ME |
— | $1,667±$815Highest 46% above ME |
| Sweden and Hampden 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 |
$3,694 22% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$2,598 14% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 7.4%±71.2 ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
8.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Hampden and Sweden 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% |
7.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
14.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.7% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
92.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 17% below ME |
23 min 7% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
31 minHighest 25% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±10.9 ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.5%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #6 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Beals Public Schools | RSU 22 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Hampden Academy | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.