Compare towns
Beals vs Raymond 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 shortest commute (21 min average).
Raymond has the most people working from home (32.3%).
Sweden has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
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 | Raymond | Sweden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 498Lowest |
4,610Highest |
537 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 48±15.6 7% above ME |
47.3±4.1Lowest 6% above ME |
51.1±19.2Highest 14% above ME |
| Sweden 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% |
19.1%±4.9 ME: 18.1% |
21.8%±5.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sweden and Raymond 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% |
22.2%±5.5 ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Beals and Raymond 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% |
49.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±5.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Beals and Raymond 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 |
$88,194±$20kHighest 18% above ME |
$73,750±$25k about the ME average |
| Raymond and Sweden 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 |
$395,800±$42kHighest 33% above ME |
$311,300±$61k 5% above ME |
| Raymond and Sweden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $907±$378Lowest 20% below ME |
$965±$397 15% below ME |
$1,667±$815Highest 46% above ME |
| Sweden and Raymond 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 |
$3,139Highest 3% above ME |
$2,598 14% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
38.3%±62.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
8.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Raymond 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% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
14.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.7% ME: 74.3% |
92.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 17% below ME |
37 minHighest 50% above ME |
31 min 25% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±10.9 ME: 15.9% |
32.3%±11.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.5%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Raymond 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 | — | #112 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Beals Public Schools | RSU 14 | — |
| 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.