Compare towns
Brooks vs East Millinocket vs Waldo
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).
East Millinocket has the most affordable homes ($86k median).
Waldo has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.3%).
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 | East Millinocket | Waldo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208 |
1,495Highest |
926Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3% ME: +2.6% |
-8.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
45.9±8.7Highest about the ME average |
37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±6.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.5 ME: 18.1% |
| East Millinocket and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
25.8%±6.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| East Millinocket and Brooks 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% |
20.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
36.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4%±3 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and East Millinocket 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 |
$42,011±$7kLowest 44% below ME |
$71,458±$21kHighest 4% below ME |
| Waldo 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 |
$86,200±$7kLowest 71% below ME |
$208,000±$41kHighest 30% below ME |
| Waldo and Brooks 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 |
$449±$150Lowest 61% below ME |
$1,150±$691Highest about the ME average |
| Waldo and Brooks 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 |
$1,149Lowest 62% below ME |
$1,623 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±21.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 19.1% ME: 10.7% |
21.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.3% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1960Lowest 17 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest about the ME average |
18 minLowest 28% below ME |
20 min 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±7.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Waldo 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 | East Millinocket Public Schools | Waldo-Region 7 |
| High school in town | None in town | Schenck High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.