Compare towns
Naples vs Eliot 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%).
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
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 | Eliot | Bethel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,985 |
7,146Highest |
2,617Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4% ME: +2.6% |
+8.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.8±6.8Lowest 11% above ME |
50.8±5.9Highest 13% above ME |
50.2±6.4 12% above ME |
| Eliot and Bethel 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% |
16.3%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Eliot 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% |
27.8%±6.2 ME: 22.4% |
29.3%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bethel and Eliot 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% |
43.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
41.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,188±$13k 5% above ME |
$101,522±$10kHighest 36% above ME |
$58,929±$23kLowest 21% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,100±$48kLowest 15% above ME |
$498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
$344,900±$37k 16% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,941±$625 70% above ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
$864±$43Lowest 24% below ME |
| Eliot and Naples 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 |
$4,549Highest 50% above ME |
$2,835 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.9%±40.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1 ME: 48.4% |
21.3%±15.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Naples and Eliot 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% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 56% above ME |
23 minLowest 9% below ME |
26 min 5% above ME |
| Work from home | 26.7%±11.8 ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #49 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 61/MSAD 61 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | 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.