Compare towns
Rome vs Beals vs Brooklin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rome has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.7%).
Beals has the most affordable homes ($257k median).
Brooklin has the most expensive homes ($339k median).
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 | Rome | Beals | Brooklin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,215Highest |
498Lowest |
869 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.3±9.2 8% above ME |
48±15.6Lowest 7% above ME |
49.2±3.7Highest 10% above ME |
| Brooklin and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±6.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±6.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Rome and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.7%±9.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.1%±5.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Beals and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.1% ME: 36.2% |
37.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±5.5 ME: 5.8% |
7.2%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooklin and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,639±$25kHighest 4% above ME |
$64,063±$14kLowest 14% below ME |
$68,750±$8k 8% below ME |
| Rome and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $329,300±$36k 11% above ME |
$256,700±$45kLowest 13% below ME |
$339,400±$90kHighest 14% above ME |
| Brooklin and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$56 about the ME average |
$907±$378Lowest 20% below ME |
$1,236±$137Highest 9% above ME |
| Brooklin and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,829 40% below ME |
$2,580Highest 15% below ME |
$1,792Lowest 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±59.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
29.5%±25 ME: 48.4% |
| Rome and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.3% ME: 10.7% |
10.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 21% above ME |
21 minLowest 17% below ME |
26 min 4% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.4%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±10.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.5%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Beals and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Beals Public Schools | Brooklin Public Schools |
| High school 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.