Compare towns
Brooklin vs Thorndike vs Unity vs Beals
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brooklin has the most expensive homes ($339k median).
Thorndike has the most kids (49.8% under 18).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Beals has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Brooklin | Thorndike | Unity | Beals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 869 |
1,403 |
1,858Highest |
498Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.4% ME: +2.6% |
-13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-12.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±3.7Highest 10% above ME |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
27.5±2.2 39% below ME |
48±15.6 7% above ME |
| Brooklin and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±6.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 24.7%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3 ME: 22.4% |
30.1%±5.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Beals and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.2% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
37.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±5.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $68,750±$8k 8% below ME |
$78,438±$14kHighest 5% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$64,063±$14k 14% below ME |
| Thorndike and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,400±$90kHighest 14% above ME |
$205,600±$88kLowest 31% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$256,700±$45k 13% below ME |
| Brooklin and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,236±$137Highest 9% above ME |
$836±$317Lowest 27% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$907±$378 20% below ME |
| Brooklin and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,792Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,537 16% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$2,580Highest 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.5%±25 ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Thorndike are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.7% ME: 10.7% |
6.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.4% ME: 74.3% |
87.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 4% above ME |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
21 minLowest 17% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.5%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±10.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Brooklin Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | Beals Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt View High School | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.7Lowest |
12.4Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.