Compare towns
Bristol vs Brooksville vs Vinalhaven
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bristol has the highest household income ($101k).
Brooksville has the most affordable homes ($391k median).
Vinalhaven has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.8%).
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 | Bristol | Brooksville | Vinalhaven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,917Highest |
853Lowest |
1,216 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9% ME: +2.6% |
+0.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 61±3.2Lowest 36% above ME |
61.4±6.3 37% above ME |
65.1±3.9Highest 45% above ME |
| Vinalhaven and Brooksville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
13%±2.9 ME: 18.1% |
11.2%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Bristol and Brooksville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 42.8%±8.1 ME: 22.4% |
41.6%±10.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
50.4%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Vinalhaven and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
52.6% ME: 36.2% |
45.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.2%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Vinalhaven and Brooksville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,750±$19kHighest 35% above ME |
$56,316±$20kLowest 25% below ME |
$72,963±$11k about the ME average |
| Bristol and Vinalhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $406,400±$54k 37% above ME |
$390,900±$113kLowest 32% above ME |
$428,400±$44kHighest 44% above ME |
| Vinalhaven and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,051±$106 8% below ME |
$1,307±$68Highest 15% above ME |
$1,017±$924Lowest 11% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,668 12% below ME |
$1,945Lowest 36% below ME |
$3,598Highest 19% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.4%±19.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
52.9%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
53.6%±41.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Vinalhaven and Brooksville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
86.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 9 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 28% below ME |
21 minHighest 15% below ME |
19 min 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 25%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.7%±5.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Bristol and Vinalhaven 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 | #16 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Bristol Public Schools | Brooksville Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.