Compare towns
Bethel vs Casco vs Harrison
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bethel has the most kids (15.9% under 18).
Casco has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.6%).
Harrison has the most affordable homes ($249k 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 | Bethel | Casco | Harrison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,617 |
3,696Highest |
2,513Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4% ME: +2.6% |
-2.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.2±6.4Lowest 12% above ME |
52±3.3 16% above ME |
56±3.6Highest 25% above ME |
| Harrison and Casco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.3%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
9.1%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Bethel and Casco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.3%±6.5 ME: 22.4% |
26.3%±7.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.8%±7.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Harrison and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.9% ME: 36.2% |
30.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Casco and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,929±$23k 21% below ME |
$69,313±$19kHighest 7% below ME |
$56,938±$6kLowest 24% below ME |
| Casco and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $344,900±$37k 16% above ME |
$355,500±$58kHighest 20% above ME |
$249,300±$70kLowest 16% below ME |
| Casco and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $864±$43Lowest 24% below ME |
$1,395±$184Highest 22% above ME |
$885±$193 22% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,835 7% below ME |
$3,085Highest about the ME average |
$2,731Lowest 10% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.3%±15.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
39.7%±35.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
27.5%±24.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Casco and Harrison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.9% ME: 10.7% |
11%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90% ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 5% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
31 minHighest 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 27.7%±8.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
26.6%±10 ME: 15.9% |
22.3%±9.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bethel and Casco 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 | #49 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 44/MSAD 44 | RSU 61/MSAD 61 | RSU 17/MSAD 17 |
| High school in town | Telstar High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.