Compare towns
Bethel vs Hanover
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 people working from home (27.7%).
Hanover has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Hanover |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 2,617Highest |
276Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 50.2±6.4Lowest 12% above ME |
53.3±10.3Highest 19% above ME |
| Hanover and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 15.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
15.9%±9.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 29.3%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.7%±12.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bethel and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Hanover 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±$23kHighest 21% below ME |
$55,417±$52kLowest 26% below ME |
| Bethel and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $344,900±$37kHighest 16% above ME |
$334,500±$36kLowest 13% above ME |
| Bethel and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $864±$43 24% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,835Highest 7% below ME |
$2,492Lowest 18% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.3%±15.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Bethel and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 13.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 5% above ME |
22 minLowest 9% below ME |
| Work from home | 27.7%±8.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
25%±19.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bethel and Hanover 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 | — |
| High school in town | Telstar High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.