Compare towns
Belfast vs Brooks vs Jackson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Belfast has the most expensive homes ($341k median).
Brooks has the most affordable homes ($197k median).
Jackson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
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 | Belfast | Brooks | Jackson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,986Highest |
1,208 |
567Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 60.6±3.1Highest 35% above ME |
45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
37.7±5.8Lowest 16% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14.2%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 39.1%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,679±$9k 9% below ME |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$75,167±$19kHighest about the ME average |
| Jackson and Belfast are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,900±$34kHighest 15% above ME |
$196,700±$33kLowest 34% below ME |
$231,500±$16k 22% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $962±$92 16% below ME |
$1,116±$112Highest about the ME average |
$629±$12Lowest 45% below ME |
| Brooks and Belfast are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,145Highest 37% above ME |
$2,096Lowest 31% below ME |
$2,651 13% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±14.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Belfast and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16% ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
74.6% ME: 74.3% |
78.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 13% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 12%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
15.3%±6.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Jackson and Brooks 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 | #84 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 71 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — |
| High school in town | Belfast Area High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
— | — |
| 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.