Compare towns
Bethel vs Naples vs Topsham
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%).
Naples has the most homeowners (87.5%).
Topsham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Naples | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,617Lowest |
3,985 |
9,706Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.4% ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.2±6.4Highest 12% above ME |
49.8±6.8 11% above ME |
44.7±4Lowest about the ME average |
| Bethel and Naples 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% |
15.6%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.3%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.3%±5.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Bethel and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.3% ME: 36.2% |
37.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Topsham 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 |
$78,188±$13k 5% above ME |
$91,028±$10kHighest 22% above ME |
| Topsham and Naples 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 |
$340,100±$48kLowest 15% above ME |
$360,800±$20kHighest 22% above ME |
| Topsham 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 |
$1,941±$625Highest 70% above ME |
$1,355±$642 19% above ME |
| Naples and Topsham 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 |
$2,784Lowest 8% below ME |
$4,259Highest 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.3%±15.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
59.9%±40.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Naples and Topsham 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% |
9.5% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% ME: 74.3% |
87.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.9%Lowest 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 min 5% above ME |
38 minHighest 56% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 27.7%±8.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
26.7%±11.8 ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bethel and Naples 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 | #118 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 44/MSAD 44 | RSU 61/MSAD 61 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Telstar High School | Lake Region High School | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
11.7 |
12.2Highest |
| 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.