Compare towns

Brooks vs Chapman vs Mapleton 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%).
Chapman has the most kids (27.6% under 18).
Mapleton has the oldest housing (typical home built 1977).
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.

MeasureBrooksChapmanMapletonKnox
People
Population
1,208
388Lowest
1,884Highest
825
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-6.3%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
—
-3.2%
ME: +2.6%
+0.6%Highest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
45.9±6.6Highest
about the ME average
45.7±11.4
about the ME average
41.8±6
7% below ME
41.1±7.9Lowest
8% below ME
Brooks and Chapman 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%
27.6%±5.9Highest
ME: 18.1%
22.2%±5.1
ME: 18.1%
13.9%±4.6Lowest
ME: 18.1%
Chapman and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
17%±3.1Lowest
ME: 22.4%
27.6%±3.8Highest
ME: 22.4%
18.3%±3.1
ME: 22.4%
17.3%±2.9
ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
27.5%
ME: 36.2%
22.8%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
34.3%Highest
ME: 36.2%
26%
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
6.8%±3.5Highest
ME: 5.8%
5.2%±2.6
ME: 5.8%
5%±2.9
ME: 5.8%
4.6%±2.6Lowest
ME: 5.8%
Brooks and Chapman 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
$93,125±$17kHighest
25% above ME
$91,731±$25k
23% above ME
$64,821±$9k
13% below ME
Chapman and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$196,700±$33kHighest
34% below ME
$185,700±$22k
37% below ME
$191,800±$23k
35% below ME
$159,600±$26kLowest
46% below ME
Brooks and Mapleton 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
—
$610±$277Lowest
46% below ME
$1,375±$47Highest
21% above ME
Property taxmedian, yearly
$2,096Highest
31% below ME
$1,850
39% below ME
$1,789
41% below ME
$1,610Lowest
47% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
18%±17.3Highest
ME: 48.4%
0%±100Lowest
ME: 48.4%
16.7%±10.5
ME: 48.4%
11.3%±31.5
ME: 48.4%
Brooks and Mapleton 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%
6.4%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
8.9%
ME: 10.7%
8.6%
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
74.6%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
94.5%Highest
ME: 74.3%
79.9%
ME: 74.3%
80.1%
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1986Highest
9 yrs newer than ME
1982
5 yrs newer than ME
1977Lowest
same as ME
1985
8 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
25 min
about the ME average
23 minLowest
6% below ME
28 min
13% above ME
30 minHighest
22% above ME
Work from home
14.5%±2.9Highest
ME: 15.9%
4.8%±3.5Lowest
ME: 15.9%
10.8%±3.8
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
School district RSU 03/MSAD 03 — RSU 79/MSAD 01 —
High school in town None in town — None in town —
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History None yet 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.