Compare towns
Brooks vs Carmel vs Waldo
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 renters (25.4% rent).
Carmel has the most expensive homes ($257k median).
Waldo has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.3%).
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 | Waldo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208 |
2,941Highest |
926Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.6% ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
46.4±4.5Highest 4% above ME |
37.5±9.6Lowest 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%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Waldo and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.5%±5 ME: 22.4% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Brooks and Carmel 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% |
36.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$82,188±$22kHighest 10% above ME |
$71,458±$21k 4% below ME |
| Carmel and Waldo 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 |
$208,000±$41k 30% below ME |
| Carmel and Waldo 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 |
$1,276±$187Highest 12% above ME |
$1,150±$691 about the ME average |
| Carmel and Waldo 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 |
$1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±38.1 ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo and Carmel 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% |
10.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Lowest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest about the ME average |
25 min about the ME average |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Waldo 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 | Waldo-Region 7 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.