Compare towns
Beals vs Readfield vs Wayne 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).
Readfield has the most kids (18.7% under 18).
Wayne has the oldest population (median age 55.6).
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 | Readfield | Wayne | Whiting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 498Lowest |
2,651Highest |
1,101 |
506 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
0%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 48±15.6Lowest 7% above ME |
48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
50±5 12% above ME |
| Wayne 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% |
18.7%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.8%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Readfield and Whiting 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% |
22.3%±4.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
27.5%±6.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Beals and Wayne 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% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±5.5 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Beals 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 |
$86,504±$8k 16% above ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$55,263±$2kLowest 26% below ME |
| Wayne and Readfield 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 |
$326,400±$20k 10% above ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$214,200±$52kLowest 28% below ME |
| Wayne and Readfield 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 |
$1,125±$844Highest about the ME average |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
$600±$333Lowest 47% below ME |
| Readfield and Wayne 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 |
$3,392Highest 12% above ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
$1,728Lowest 43% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Whiting and Readfield 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% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
5.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
93.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer 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 |
30 min 20% above ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
22 min 10% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±10.9 ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Readfield 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 | — | #20 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Beals Public Schools | RSU 38 | RSU 38 | Whiting Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5 |
— | — |
| 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.