Compare towns
Brooks vs Castleton vs Mars Hill
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brooks has the most people working from home (14.5%).
Castleton has the most expensive homes ($225k median).
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 | Castleton | Mars Hill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208Lowest |
4,453Highest |
1,398 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-8.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6Highest 18% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.4±3 12% above U.S. |
| Brooks and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Mars Hill and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±5.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mars Hill and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,130±$10kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$73,854±$23kHighest 9% below U.S. |
$65,273±$9k 19% below U.S. |
| Castleton 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 41% below U.S. |
$224,800±$71kHighest 32% below U.S. |
$163,600±$23kLowest 51% below U.S. |
| Castleton 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 21% below U.S. |
$1,137±$195Highest 20% below U.S. |
$488±$96Lowest 65% below U.S. |
| Castleton and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,096 33% below U.S. |
$3,167Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,843Lowest 41% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.6%±7.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 19.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
79%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 5% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
21 min 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | #39 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | 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 |
U.S. 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.