Compare towns
Beals vs Hancock vs Mapleton 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%).
Hancock has the oldest population (median age 56.3).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Whiting has the most homeowners (93.6%).
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 | Hancock | Mapleton | Whiting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 498Lowest |
2,518Highest |
1,884 |
506 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 48±15.6 7% above ME |
56.3±6.4Highest 26% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
50±5 12% above ME |
| Hancock 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% |
13.9%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.8%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Whiting 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% |
30.2%±7Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.5%±6.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Hancock 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% |
34.9% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±5.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Beals and Mapleton 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 |
$72,285±$5k 3% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$55,263±$2kLowest 26% below ME |
| Mapleton and Hancock 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 |
$276,800±$51kHighest 7% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$214,200±$52k 28% below ME |
| Hancock and Beals 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 |
$1,171±$65Highest about the ME average |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$600±$333Lowest 47% below ME |
| Hancock 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 |
$1,869 38% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,728Lowest 43% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42%±15.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Hancock and Whiting 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% |
8.2% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.9% ME: 74.3% |
81.1% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 17% below ME |
29 minHighest 18% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
22 min 10% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±10.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Beals and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #117 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Beals Public Schools | Hancock Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Whiting Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.