Compare towns
Brooks vs Belgrade 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
Belgrade has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
Mars Hill has the most affordable homes ($164k 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 | Belgrade | Mars Hill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208Lowest |
3,351Highest |
1,398 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3% ME: +2.6% |
+1.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
47.3±14.6Highest 6% above ME |
43.4±3Lowest 3% below ME |
| Belgrade and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.6%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mars Hill and Belgrade 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% |
23.9%±6.4 ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Mars Hill and Belgrade 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% |
49.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Belgrade 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 |
$88,338±$13kHighest 18% above ME |
$65,273±$9k 13% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
$312,200±$44kHighest 5% above ME |
$163,600±$23kLowest 45% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,116±$112Highest about the ME average |
$857±$108 25% below ME |
$488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,096 31% below ME |
$2,859Highest 6% below ME |
$1,843Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
17.2%±35.9Lowest 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% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6% ME: 74.3% |
93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest about the ME average |
23 min 7% below ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
20.4%±8.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Belgrade 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 | — | #71 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 18 | 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.