Compare towns

Prospect vs Beals vs Bucksport

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

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Prospect has the most kids (25.2% under 18).
Beals has the most people working from home (17.6%).
Bucksport has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.4%).

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.

MeasureProspectBealsBucksport
People
Population
923
498Lowest
5,016Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-1.6%
ME: +2.6%
-12.8%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
+0.4%Highest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
45.2±7.5
about the ME average
48±15.6Highest
7% above ME
42.7±12.2Lowest
5% below ME
Beals and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
25.2%±10.7Highest
ME: 18.1%
16.1%±6.5Lowest
ME: 18.1%
17.9%±5.3
ME: 18.1%
Prospect and Bucksport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
19.8%±1.7Lowest
ME: 22.4%
30.1%±5.1Highest
ME: 22.4%
26.6%±7.7
ME: 22.4%
Beals and Bucksport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
22.3%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
37.6%Highest
ME: 36.2%
27.3%
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
1.6%±1Lowest
ME: 5.8%
5.8%±5.5Highest
ME: 5.8%
2.3%±2.3
ME: 5.8%
Beals and Bucksport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$81,250±$17kHighest
9% above ME
$64,063±$14kLowest
14% below ME
$64,720±$21k
13% below ME
Prospect and Bucksport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$196,500±$19kLowest
34% below ME
$256,700±$45kHighest
13% below ME
$252,300±$32k
15% below ME
Beals and Bucksport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,107±$61Highest
about the ME average
$907±$378
20% below ME
$882±$92Lowest
23% below ME
Prospect and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$1,979Lowest
35% below ME
$2,580Highest
15% below ME
$2,021
33% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
31.3%±42
ME: 48.4%
7.4%±71.2Lowest
ME: 48.4%
48.9%±17Highest
ME: 48.4%
Bucksport and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
7.3%
ME: 10.7%
10.8%Highest
ME: 10.7%
6.7%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
88.8%Highest
ME: 74.3%
83.9%
ME: 74.3%
74.3%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1998Highest
21 yrs newer than ME
1974Lowest
3 yrs older than ME
1975
2 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
33 minHighest
34% above ME
21 minLowest
17% below ME
28 min
15% above ME
Work from home
6.2%±3.3Lowest
ME: 15.9%
17.6%±10.9Highest
ME: 15.9%
10.1%±5.9
ME: 15.9%
Beals and Bucksport 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 — — #68 of 133 in ME
School district — Beals Public Schools RSU 25
High school in town — None in town Bucksport High School
Students per teacherat that high school — —
13.1
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.