Compare towns

Mapleton vs New Gloucester vs Beals

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
New Gloucester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.4%).
Beals has the most people working from home (17.6%).

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.

MeasureMapletonNew GloucesterBeals
People
Population
1,884
5,766Highest
498Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-3.2%
ME: +2.6%
+2.4%Highest
ME: +2.6%
-12.8%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
41.8±6
7% below ME
40.1±5.5Lowest
10% below ME
48±15.6Highest
7% above ME
Beals and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
22.2%±5.1
ME: 18.1%
24.2%±5.8Highest
ME: 18.1%
16.1%±6.5Lowest
ME: 18.1%
New Gloucester and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
18.3%±3.1
ME: 22.4%
15.4%±4.2Lowest
ME: 22.4%
30.1%±5.1Highest
ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
34.3%
ME: 36.2%
30.7%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
37.6%Highest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5%±2.9
ME: 5.8%
3.3%±2.1Lowest
ME: 5.8%
5.8%±5.5Highest
ME: 5.8%
Beals and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$91,731±$25k
23% above ME
$108,797±$12kHighest
46% above ME
$64,063±$14kLowest
14% below ME
New Gloucester and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$191,800±$23kLowest
35% below ME
$357,100±$29kHighest
20% above ME
$256,700±$45k
13% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$610±$277Lowest
46% below ME
$1,150±$249Highest
about the ME average
$907±$378
20% below ME
New Gloucester and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$1,789Lowest
41% below ME
$3,417Highest
13% above ME
$2,580
15% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
16.7%±10.5
ME: 48.4%
24.7%±12Highest
ME: 48.4%
7.4%±71.2Lowest
ME: 48.4%
New Gloucester and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
8.9%
ME: 10.7%
4.3%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
10.8%Highest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
79.9%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
82.9%
ME: 74.3%
83.9%Highest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1977
same as ME
1991Highest
14 yrs newer than ME
1974Lowest
3 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
28 minHighest
13% above ME
27 min
9% above ME
21 minLowest
17% below ME
Work from home
10.8%±3.8Lowest
ME: 15.9%
14.2%±6.5
ME: 15.9%
17.6%±10.9Highest
ME: 15.9%
Beals and New Gloucester 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 — #65 of 133 in ME —
School district RSU 79/MSAD 01 RSU 15/MSAD 15 Beals Public Schools
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

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.