Compare towns
Brooks vs Danforth vs Mars Hill vs West Paris
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 expensive homes ($197k median).
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($85k median).
Mars Hill has the most kids (22.9% under 18).
West Paris has the most people working from home (23.8%).
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 | Danforth | Mars Hill | West Paris |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
452Lowest |
1,398 |
1,808Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3% ME: +2.6% |
— | -8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
51.9±5.3Highest 16% above ME |
43.4±3Lowest 3% below ME |
46±7.9 about the ME average |
| Danforth and West Paris 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% |
14.8%±6.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.3%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mars Hill and Brooks 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% |
22.6%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| West Paris and Mars Hill 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% |
4.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
23.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±1.6Lowest 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±$10k 21% below ME |
$42,264±$11kLowest 43% below ME |
$65,273±$9kHighest 13% below ME |
$56,324±$5k 25% below ME |
| Mars Hill and Brooks 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 |
$85,200±$20kLowest 71% below ME |
$163,600±$23k 45% below ME |
$193,000±$20k 35% below ME |
| Brooks and West Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,116±$112Highest about the ME average |
$629±$22 45% below ME |
$488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
$838±$333 26% below ME |
| Brooks and West Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,096Highest 31% below ME |
— | $1,843Lowest 39% below ME |
$2,083 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
11.5%±71.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1 ME: 48.4% |
61.5%±34.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| West Paris 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% ME: 10.7% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
9.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
24.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.4% ME: 74.3% |
70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1973 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
27 min 9% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
32 minHighest 32% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
3%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6 ME: 15.9% |
23.8%±18.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| West Paris and Brooks 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 42/MSAD 42 | RSU 17/MSAD 17 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.0 |
— |
| 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.