Compare towns
Naples vs Blue Hill vs Bethel
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Naples has the most homeowners (87.5%).
Blue Hill has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
Bethel has the most people working from home (27.7%).
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 | Naples | Blue Hill | Bethel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,985Highest |
2,813 |
2,617Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4% ME: +2.6% |
+3.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.8±6.8 11% above ME |
48.6±8.2Lowest 8% above ME |
50.2±6.4Highest 12% above ME |
| Bethel and Naples are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.3%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Blue Hill and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.3%±5.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.6%±10.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.3%±6.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Blue Hill and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.2% ME: 36.2% |
41.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Blue Hill and Naples are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,188±$13k 5% above ME |
$80,377±$17kHighest 8% above ME |
$58,929±$23kLowest 21% below ME |
| Blue Hill and Naples are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,100±$48kLowest 15% above ME |
$399,500±$82kHighest 35% above ME |
$344,900±$37k 16% above ME |
| Blue Hill and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,941±$625Highest 70% above ME |
$1,038±$638 9% below ME |
$864±$43Lowest 24% below ME |
| Naples and Blue Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,784Lowest 8% below ME |
$2,907Highest 4% below ME |
$2,835 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.9%±40.1 ME: 48.4% |
93.6%±27.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.3%±15.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Blue Hill and Naples are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.5% ME: 10.7% |
4.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1986Lowest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 56% above ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
26 min 5% above ME |
| Work from home | 26.7%±11.8 ME: 15.9% |
21%±9.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
27.7%±8.1Highest 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 | #118 of 133 in ME | #29 of 133 in ME | #49 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 61/MSAD 61 | Blue Hill Public Schools | RSU 44/MSAD 44 |
| High school in town | Lake Region High School | None in town | Telstar High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Highest |
— | 11.3Lowest |
| 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.