What stands out worked out from the figures below

Beals has the most people working from home (17.6%).

Thomaston has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.5%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Beals	Thomaston
People
Population	498Lowest	2,769Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6%	-1.5%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	48±15.6Lowest 7% above ME	58.1±6.6Highest 30% above ME
	Thomaston 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%	19.2%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1%
	Thomaston and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	30.1%±5.1Lowest ME: 22.4%	35.5%±8.6Highest ME: 22.4%
	Thomaston and Beals 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%	30.9%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±5.5Highest ME: 5.8%	1.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Beals and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$64,063±$14kHighest 14% below ME	$56,435±$13kLowest 24% below ME
	Beals and Thomaston 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	$271,700±$10kHighest 8% below ME
	Thomaston and Beals 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	$1,262±$343Highest 11% above ME
	Thomaston and Beals 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	$4,487Highest 48% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4%	60.5%±23.5Highest ME: 48.4%
	Thomaston and Beals 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%	6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.9%Highest ME: 74.3%	73.9%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Highest 3 yrs older than ME	1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minHighest 17% below ME	14 minLowest 45% below ME
Work from home	17.6%±10.9Highest ME: 15.9%	4.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Beals and Thomaston 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	—	#99 of 133 in ME
School district	Beals Public Schools	RSU 13
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.