Compare towns
Brooks vs Appleton vs Mars Hill vs Newburgh
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brooks has the most people working from home (14.5%).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Mars Hill has the most kids (22.9% under 18).
Newburgh has the highest household income ($77k).
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 | Brooks | Appleton | Mars Hill | Newburgh |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208Lowest |
1,360 |
1,398 |
1,475Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
43.4±3Lowest 3% below ME |
45.8±5.7 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.8%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Mars Hill and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±2.7 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 | $59,130±$10k 21% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$65,273±$9k 13% below ME |
$76,750±$10kHighest about the ME average |
| Newburgh and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$163,600±$23kLowest 45% below ME |
$244,600±$20kHighest 18% below ME |
| Newburgh and Appleton 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 |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
$950±$219 17% below ME |
| Brooks and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,096 31% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,843Lowest 39% below ME |
$2,748 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1 ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±13.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
9.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6 ME: 15.9% |
6.4%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Brooks and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | Appleton Public Schools | 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 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.