Compare towns
Beals vs Lyman 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 renters (16.1% rent).
Lyman has the most expensive homes ($360k median).
Whiting has the most affordable homes ($214k 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 | Lyman | Whiting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 498Lowest |
4,612Highest |
506 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 48±15.6Lowest 7% above ME |
53.8±2Highest 20% above ME |
50±5 12% above ME |
| Lyman 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% |
15.2%±4Lowest 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% |
26.1%±6.4Lowest 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% |
25.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±5.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Beals and Lyman 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 |
$87,284±$14kHighest 17% above ME |
$55,263±$2kLowest 26% below ME |
| Lyman 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±$45k 13% below ME |
$360,400±$44kHighest 22% above ME |
$214,200±$52kLowest 28% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $907±$378 20% below ME |
$1,063±$522Highest 7% below ME |
$600±$333Lowest 47% below ME |
| Lyman and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,580 15% below ME |
$2,717Highest 11% below ME |
$1,728Lowest 43% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.7%±44.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Lyman 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% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95%Highest ME: 74.3% |
93.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 17% below ME |
33 minHighest 35% above ME |
22 min 10% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±10.9 ME: 15.9% |
18.9%±6.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Lyman and Beals 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 | — | #40 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Beals Public Schools | RSU 57/MSAD 57 | Whiting Public Schools |
| High school in town | None 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.