What stands out worked out from the figures below

Beals has the shortest commute (21 min average).

Whitefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).

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	Whitefield
People
Population	498Lowest	2,157Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+4.7%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	48±15.6Lowest 7% above ME	51.9±5.2Highest 16% above ME
	Whitefield 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%	17.6%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1%
	Whitefield 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%	29.1%±4.6Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Beals and Whitefield 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%	32.7%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±5.5Highest ME: 5.8%	4%±2Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Beals and Whitefield 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	$73,875±$10kHighest about the ME average
	Whitefield 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±$45kHighest 13% below ME	$242,300±$24kLowest 18% below ME
	Beals and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$907±$378Highest 20% below ME	$895±$126Lowest 21% below ME
	Beals and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,580Highest 15% below ME	$2,366Lowest 22% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4%	33.3%±22.1Highest ME: 48.4%
	Whitefield 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%	7.1%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.9%Lowest ME: 74.3%	91.5%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME	1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 17% below ME	30 minHighest 23% above ME
Work from home	17.6%±10.9Highest ME: 15.9%	13.5%±6.8Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Beals and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Beals Public Schools	RSU 12
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.