Bethel is a town in Oxford County, Maine, home to about 2,617 people across 65 square miles. Its ZIP codes are 04217 and 04286.
Homes sold for a median of $274 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a buyer’s market.
Mostly Bethel; also South Oxford UT and Gilead
All in Bethel
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Bethel. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Bethel’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Portland International Jetport (PWM)59 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Augusta State Airport (AUG)50 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Boston, MA144 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | New York, NY304 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Bethel; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Bethel had 2,504 residents in the 2020 census, up 4% since 2000.
It’s the 140th largest of 519 towns in Maine by population.
Oxford County grew from 32,238 residents in 1900 to 57,777 in 2020.
Oxford County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 79°F in summer, and winter lows average 8°F. About 50.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Bethel 6 Sse, ME weather station (7 miles away).
14,143 jobs at 1,381 businesses in Oxford County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
33 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Bethel’s ZIP codes.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 3 |
|---|---|
| Dentists | 1 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 9 |
| Mental health providers | 13 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 5 |
| Chiropractors | 2 |
| Pharmacies | 2 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (6 nearby)
Grocery stores (1 nearby)
Libraries (2 nearby)
Museums (3 nearby)
Counts are within about 5.5 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Established in 1774.
Notable people born here
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Rsu 44/Msad 44. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crescent Park SchoolBethel | Pre-K–5 | 263 | Public | 1.3 mi |
| Telstar Middle SchoolBethel | 6–8 | 155 | Public | 1.9 mi |
| Telstar High SchoolBethel | 9–12 | 179 | Public | 1.9 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gould AcademyBethel | 8–12 | 214 | Nonsectarian | 0.9 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with South Oxford UT and Gilead.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.