Compare towns
Brooks vs Beals 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
Brooks has grown the fastest since 2010 (-6.3%).
Beals has the most expensive homes ($257k median).
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 | Brooks | Beals | Mars Hill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208 |
498Lowest |
1,398Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-8.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
48±15.6Highest 7% above ME |
43.4±3Lowest 3% below ME |
| Beals 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% |
16.1%±6.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mars Hill 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% |
30.1%±5.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Beals 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% |
37.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±5.5 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$64,063±$14k 14% below ME |
$65,273±$9kHighest 13% below ME |
| Mars Hill and Beals 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 |
$256,700±$45kHighest 13% below ME |
$163,600±$23kLowest 45% below ME |
| Beals 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 |
$907±$378 20% below ME |
$488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
| Brooks and Beals 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 |
$2,580Highest 15% below ME |
$1,843Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
7.4%±71.2Lowest 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 | 19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.8% ME: 10.7% |
9.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6% ME: 74.3% |
83.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest about the ME average |
21 minLowest 17% below ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±10.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Beals and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | Beals 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 |
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.