Compare towns
Brooks vs Dedham 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%).
Dedham has the most expensive homes ($356k median).
Mapleton has the oldest housing (typical home built 1977).
Knox has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.6%).
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 | Dedham | Mapleton | Knox |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
1,656 |
1,884Highest |
825Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+0.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
46.5±2.2Highest 4% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
41.1±7.9Lowest 8% below ME |
| Dedham and Brooks 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% |
23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham 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% |
18.7%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
17.3%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Dedham and Mapleton 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% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.6%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Mapleton 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 |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$64,821±$9k 13% below ME |
| Dedham 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 |
$356,400±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$159,600±$26kLowest 46% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,116±$112 about the ME average |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,375±$47 21% above ME |
| Dedham and Knox 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 |
$3,942Highest 30% above ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,610Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
11.3%±31.5Lowest 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% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
8.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
80.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest 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 | Dedham Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — |
| 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.