Compare towns
Brooks vs Augusta vs Franklin
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 affordable homes ($197k median).
Augusta has the most renters (46.2% rent).
Franklin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
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 | Augusta | Franklin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208Lowest |
19,077Highest |
1,628 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2% ME: +2.6% |
+5.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
42.5±2.4Lowest 5% below ME |
46±9.3Highest about the ME average |
| Franklin 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% |
18.9%±2.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Augusta and Brooks 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% |
21.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
25.6%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Franklin and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
28.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Franklin 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 |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$65,455±$16kHighest 12% below ME |
| Franklin and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,700±$33kLowest 34% below ME |
$201,000±$18k 32% below ME |
$245,800±$59kHighest 17% below ME |
| Franklin and Augusta 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 |
$919±$79 19% below ME |
$888±$306Lowest 22% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,096Lowest 31% below ME |
$2,465Highest 19% below ME |
$2,231 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
36.7%±27.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Augusta and Franklin 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% |
18.2% ME: 10.7% |
15.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6% ME: 74.3% |
53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
76.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
29 minHighest 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.2%±5.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Augusta 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 | — | #119 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Cony | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 17.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.