Compare towns
Brooks vs Belfast vs Knox
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 kids (17.1% under 18).
Belfast has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
Knox has the most affordable homes ($160k median).
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 | Belfast | Knox |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208 |
6,986Highest |
825Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
60.6±3.1Highest 35% above ME |
41.1±7.9Lowest 8% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.2%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Brooks and Belfast 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% |
39.1%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.3%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5% ME: 36.2% |
42.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.6%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Knox 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 |
$67,679±$9kHighest 9% below ME |
$64,821±$9k 13% below ME |
| Belfast and Knox 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 |
$340,900±$34kHighest 15% above ME |
$159,600±$26kLowest 46% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,116±$112 about the ME average |
$962±$92Lowest 16% below ME |
$1,375±$47Highest 21% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,096 31% below ME |
$4,145Highest 37% above ME |
$1,610Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
47.4%±14.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
11.3%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Belfast 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% |
16% ME: 10.7% |
8.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6% ME: 74.3% |
68.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 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 |
22 minLowest 13% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
12%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±7.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Brooks and Knox 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 | — | #84 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 71 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Belfast Area High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3 |
— |
| 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.