Compare towns
Beals vs Sullivan vs Union
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).
Sullivan has the most affordable homes ($222k median).
Union has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
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 | Sullivan | Union |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 498Lowest |
1,246 |
2,663Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.4% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48±15.6Highest 7% above ME |
47.1±15 5% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Beals and Sullivan 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% |
18%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Sullivan 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% |
22.5%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Beals and Sullivan 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% |
26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±5.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±4 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Beals and Sullivan 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 |
$59,643±$14kLowest 20% below ME |
$80,724±$9kHighest 8% above ME |
| Union 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±$45k 13% below ME |
$222,000±$33kLowest 25% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
| Union and Beals 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 |
$883±$114Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
| Union 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 |
$2,228Lowest 27% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
34.9%±23.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Sullivan and Union 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% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.2% ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 17% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±10.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.6%±7.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Beals and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Beals Public Schools | RSU 24 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | Sumner Memorial High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.5 |
— |
| 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.