Compare towns
Bethel 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 people working from home (27.7%).
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 | Newry |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 2,617Highest |
177Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 50.2±6.4Lowest 12% above ME |
61.1±5Highest 36% above ME |
| Newry and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 15.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.6%±12.2Lowest 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%±6.5Lowest 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% |
37.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Bethel and Newry 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 |
$67,000±$23kHighest 10% below ME |
| Newry 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±$37kHighest 16% above ME |
$307,700±$69kLowest 4% above ME |
| Bethel and Newry 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 |
$1,125±$666Highest about the ME average |
| Newry and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,835Highest 7% below ME |
$2,438Lowest 20% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.3%±15.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
25%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Newry and Bethel 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% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 5% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 27.7%±8.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±9.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bethel and Newry 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.