Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Brooks vs Mars Hill
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bowdoin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.5%).
Brooks has the most people working from home (14.5%).
Mars Hill has the most kids (22.9% under 18).
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 | Bowdoin | Brooks | Mars Hill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,188Highest |
1,208Lowest |
1,398 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3% ME: +2.6% |
-8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±10 about the ME average |
45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
43.4±3Lowest 3% below ME |
| Brooks and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mars Hill and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Mars Hill and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,239±$13kHighest 22% above ME |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$65,273±$9k 13% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $292,800±$71kHighest about the ME average |
$196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
$163,600±$23kLowest 45% below ME |
| Bowdoin and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,116±$112Highest about the ME average |
$488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,375Highest 11% above ME |
$2,096 31% below ME |
$1,843Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Mars Hill and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11% ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.6% ME: 74.3% |
70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Brooks and Bowdoin 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 | #28 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 42/MSAD 42 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.