Compare towns
Brooks vs Bowdoin 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 people working from home (14.5%).
Bowdoin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.5%).
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 | Bowdoin | Knox |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208 |
3,188Highest |
825Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
44.3±10 about the ME average |
41.1±7.9Lowest 8% below ME |
| Brooks and Bowdoin 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% |
19.1%±6.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Bowdoin and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.3%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Knox and Brooks 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% |
30.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2Lowest 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 |
$91,239±$13kHighest 22% above ME |
$64,821±$9k 13% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
$292,800±$71kHighest about the ME average |
$159,600±$26kLowest 46% below ME |
| Bowdoin and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,116±$112Lowest about the ME average |
— | $1,375±$47Highest 21% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,096 31% below ME |
$3,375Highest 11% above ME |
$1,610Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
11.3%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Brooks and Knox 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% |
11% ME: 10.7% |
8.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7Lowest 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 | — | #28 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.