Compare towns
Beals vs North Windham 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 shortest commute (21 min average).
North Windham has the highest household income ($89k).
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 | North Windham | Whiting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 498Lowest |
5,417Highest |
506 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 48±15.6 7% above ME |
42±3Lowest 6% below 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% |
16.6%±4.1 ME: 18.1% |
17.8%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Whiting and North Windham 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% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest 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% |
37% ME: 36.2% |
34.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±5.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Beals and North Windham 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 |
$88,522±$8kHighest 18% above ME |
$55,263±$2kLowest 26% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,700±$45k 13% below ME |
$342,800±$29kHighest 16% above ME |
$214,200±$52kLowest 28% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $907±$378 20% below ME |
$1,248±$604Highest 10% above ME |
$600±$333Lowest 47% below ME |
| North Windham 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 |
$3,546Highest 17% above ME |
$1,728Lowest 43% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
30.7%±14.3 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Whiting and North Windham 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% |
6.1% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.9% ME: 74.3% |
80.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 17% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
22 min 10% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±10.9 ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±6.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| North Windham 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 | — | 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.