Compare towns
Brooks vs Carmel vs Jackson
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).
Carmel has the most homeowners (87.9%).
Jackson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
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 | Carmel | Jackson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208 |
2,941Highest |
567Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.6% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
46.4±4.5Highest 4% above ME |
37.7±5.8Lowest 16% below ME |
| Carmel 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% |
18.6%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Carmel 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% |
16.5%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Jackson 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% |
17.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$82,188±$22kHighest 10% above ME |
$75,167±$19k about the ME average |
| Carmel and Jackson 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 |
$256,800±$37kHighest 13% below ME |
$231,500±$16k 22% below ME |
| Carmel and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,116±$112 about the ME average |
$1,276±$187Highest 12% above ME |
$629±$12Lowest 45% below ME |
| Carmel and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,096Lowest 31% below ME |
$2,662Highest 12% below ME |
$2,651 13% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±38.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Carmel 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% |
13.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Lowest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1993 16 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.3%±6.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Jackson 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 | — | #77 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | — |
| 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.