Compare towns
Brooks vs Chapman vs Mapleton vs Sidney
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).
Chapman has the most kids (27.6% under 18).
Mapleton has the youngest population (median age 41.8).
Sidney has the most expensive homes ($336k 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.
| Measure | Brooks | Chapman | Mapleton | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
388Lowest |
1,884 |
4,790Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
45.7±11.4 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
43±5.5 4% 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%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Chapman and Sidney 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% |
18.4%±3.6 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% |
33.5% 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% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest 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 |
$83,488±$10k 12% above 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±$33k 34% below ME |
$185,700±$22kLowest 37% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,116±$112 about the ME average |
— | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
| Sidney 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 |
$1,850 39% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,474Highest 19% 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% |
16.4%±17.5 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% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
23 minLowest 6% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Brooks and Sidney 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 | — | — | — | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 18 |
| 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 | 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.