Compare towns
Brooks vs Danforth vs Newburgh 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 shortest commute (25 min average).
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($90k median).
Newburgh has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.8%).
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 | Newburgh | West Paris |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
666Lowest |
1,475 |
1,808Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.3% ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
53.1±4.4Highest 19% above ME |
45.8±5.7Lowest about the ME average |
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% |
13.4%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.3%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Newburgh 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% |
26.1%±3.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Danforth and West Paris 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% |
9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Newburgh 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 |
$48,125±$8kLowest 36% below ME |
$76,750±$10kHighest about the ME average |
$56,324±$5k 25% below ME |
| Newburgh 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±$33k 34% below ME |
$89,900±$36kLowest 70% below ME |
$244,600±$20kHighest 18% below ME |
$193,000±$20k 35% below ME |
| Newburgh and Brooks 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±$29Lowest 45% below ME |
$950±$219 17% below ME |
$838±$333 26% below ME |
| Brooks and Newburgh 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 |
$1,270Lowest 58% below ME |
$2,748Highest 9% below ME |
$2,083 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
36.1%±57.5 ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±13.9 ME: 48.4% |
61.5%±34.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| West Paris and Newburgh 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% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
11.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
24.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.2% ME: 74.3% |
80.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
28 min 15% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
32 minHighest 32% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
5.8%±3.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
6.4%±3.3 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 17/MSAD 17 |
| 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.