Compare towns
Beals vs Smithfield vs Robbinston 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).
Smithfield has the highest household income ($108k).
Robbinston has the most renters (17.3% rent).
Whiting has the most kids (17.8% 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 | Smithfield | Robbinston | Whiting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 498Lowest |
856Highest |
621 |
506 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-10.5% ME: +2.6% |
-6.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 48±15.6Lowest 7% above ME |
55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
48.1±2.7 7% above ME |
50±5 12% above ME |
| Smithfield 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% |
10%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.3%±3.7 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% |
29.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
27.1%±3.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.5%±6.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Beals and Smithfield 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% |
34.7% ME: 36.2% |
27.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±5.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Beals and Smithfield 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 |
$107,917±$27kHighest 44% above ME |
$68,333±$13k 9% below ME |
$55,263±$2kLowest 26% below ME |
| Smithfield and Robbinston 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 |
$242,800±$15k 18% below ME |
$228,000±$41k 23% below ME |
$214,200±$52kLowest 28% below ME |
| Beals and Smithfield 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 |
$1,109±$358 about the ME average |
$1,232±$808Highest 8% above ME |
$600±$333Lowest 47% below ME |
| Robbinston and Smithfield 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 |
$2,866Highest 6% below ME |
$1,478Lowest 51% below ME |
$1,728 43% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±45.2 ME: 48.4% |
60.6%±26.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Robbinston and Smithfield 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% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
15.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.9% ME: 74.3% |
88.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 17% below ME |
33 minHighest 32% above ME |
22 min 9% below ME |
22 min 10% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±10.9 ME: 15.9% |
22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.6%±4 ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Smithfield 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 | 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.