Compare towns
Brooklin vs Mars Hill vs Beals
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brooklin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.4%).
Mars Hill has the most kids (22.9% under 18).
Beals has the most people working from home (17.6%).
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 | Brooklin | Mars Hill | Beals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 869 |
1,398Highest |
498Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-8.9% ME: +2.6% |
-12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±3.7Highest 10% above ME |
43.4±3Lowest 3% below ME |
48±15.6 7% above ME |
| Brooklin and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±6.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mars Hill and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.7%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±5.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.1%±5.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Beals and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
37.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±5.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Brooklin and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,750±$8kHighest 8% below ME |
$65,273±$9k 13% below ME |
$64,063±$14kLowest 14% below ME |
| Brooklin and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,400±$90kHighest 14% above ME |
$163,600±$23kLowest 45% below ME |
$256,700±$45k 13% below ME |
| Brooklin and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,236±$137Highest 9% above ME |
$488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
$907±$378 20% below ME |
| Brooklin and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,792Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,843 39% below ME |
$2,580Highest 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.5%±25 ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Mars Hill and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.6% ME: 10.7% |
10.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 4% above ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
21 minLowest 17% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.5%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±10.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Beals and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Brooklin Public Schools | RSU 42/MSAD 42 | Beals Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S | None in town |
| 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.