Compare towns
Brighton vs Eliot vs Charleston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brighton has the most renters (48.9% rent).
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Charleston has the oldest population (median age 58.4).
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 | Brighton | Eliot | Charleston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,167 |
7,146Highest |
936Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.2±11.6Lowest 16% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
58.4±9.3Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Charleston and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
11.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brighton and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.2%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
37.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Charleston and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
13.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brighton and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $47,375±$21kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$101,522±$10kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$49,286±$17k 39% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $163,900±$39kLowest 51% below U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$238,000±$53k 28% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$33Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$979±$444 31% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,360Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$4,549Highest 46% above U.S. |
$3,750 20% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55%±17 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±26.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 22%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.4%±8.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.7%±7.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Charleston and Eliot 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 | — | #19 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Brighton School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Charleston School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.