Compare towns
Bethel vs Casco vs Newry
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 the highest household income ($69k).
Newry has the oldest population (median age 61.1).
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 | Newry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,617 |
3,696Highest |
177Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 50.2±6.4Lowest 12% above ME |
52±3.3 16% above ME |
61.1±5Highest 36% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.3%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
13.6%±12.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Bethel and Newry 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% |
42.4%±14.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Newry 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
37.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2Lowest 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±$23kLowest 21% below ME |
$69,313±$19kHighest 7% below ME |
$67,000±$23k 10% below ME |
| Casco and Newry 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 |
$307,700±$69kLowest 4% above 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 |
$1,125±$666 about the ME average |
| Casco and Newry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,835 7% below ME |
$3,085Highest about the ME average |
$2,438Lowest 20% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.3%±15.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
39.7%±35.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Casco and Newry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
11% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Lowest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1986Lowest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 5% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 27.7%±8.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
26.6%±10 ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±9.6Lowest 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 | — |
| High school in town | Telstar High School | 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.