Compare towns
Berwick vs Brooks vs Mapleton vs Waldo
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Berwick has the most expensive homes ($323k median).
Brooks has the oldest population (median age 45.9).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Waldo has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Berwick | Brooks | Mapleton | Waldo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,998Highest |
1,208 |
1,884 |
926Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1% ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±3.6 5% below ME |
45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME |
| Brooks and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±12.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Berwick and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±8.1 ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Mapleton and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.4% ME: 36.2% |
27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
36.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1 ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,406±$39k 9% above ME |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$71,458±$21k 4% below ME |
| Mapleton and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $323,300±$36kHighest 9% above ME |
$196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$208,000±$41k 30% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$901 9% below ME |
$1,116±$112 about the ME average |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,150±$691Highest about the ME average |
| Waldo and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,806Highest 25% above ME |
$2,096 31% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.9%±45.2 ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
10.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
74.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 37% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
28 min 13% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 13.7%±7.8 ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Waldo 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 | #101 of 133 in ME | — | — | — |
| School district | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Waldo-Region 7 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.