Compare towns
Beals vs Mapleton vs Strong 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 expensive homes ($257k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
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 | Mapleton | Strong | Whiting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 498Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,249 |
506 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 48±15.6 7% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
50±5Highest 12% above ME |
| Whiting and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.1%±6.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
17.8%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Strong 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 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% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±5.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$55,263±$2k 26% below ME |
| Mapleton 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 |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% 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 |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$920±$276Highest 19% below ME |
$600±$333Lowest 47% below ME |
| Strong 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 |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
$1,728Lowest 43% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Whiting and Strong 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.9% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
93.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 17% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
22 min 10% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±10.9 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Beals Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | 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.