Compare towns
Brooks vs Carmel 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 the most people working from home (14.5%).
Carmel has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.6%).
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 | Carmel | Mars Hill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208Lowest |
2,941Highest |
1,398 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3% ME: +2.6% |
+2.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
46.4±4.5Highest 4% above ME |
43.4±3Lowest 3% 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%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mars Hill and Carmel 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% |
24.5%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Mars Hill 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
17.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Mars Hill 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 |
$82,188±$22kHighest 10% above ME |
$65,273±$9k 13% below ME |
| Carmel and Mars Hill 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 |
$256,800±$37kHighest 13% below ME |
$163,600±$23kLowest 45% below ME |
| Carmel and Brooks 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 |
$488±$96Lowest 57% 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 | $2,096 31% below ME |
$2,662Highest 12% below ME |
$1,843Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±38.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Carmel and Mars Hill 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% ME: 10.7% |
9.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6% ME: 74.3% |
87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest about the ME average |
25 min about the ME average |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Brooks and Mars Hill 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 | 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 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.