What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brooks has the most people working from home (14.5%).

Etna has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Brooks	Etna
People
Population	1,208Lowest	1,252Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6%	-1.6%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average	41.9±3.4Lowest 6% below ME
	Brooks and Etna 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%	20%±6.7Highest ME: 18.1%
	Etna 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%	18.5%±1.1Highest ME: 22.4%
	Etna 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%Highest ME: 36.2%	13.9%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8%	0.6%±0.5Lowest ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME	$72,379±$16kHighest 3% below ME
	Etna 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	$183,000±$49kLowest 38% below ME
	Brooks and Etna 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	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,096Highest 31% below ME	$1,745Lowest 43% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4%	66.7%±100Highest ME: 48.4%
	Etna and Brooks 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%	15.5%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3%	94.9%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1986Lowest 9 yrs newer than ME	1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest about the ME average	28 minHighest 12% above ME
Work from home	14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9%	5.6%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9%
Schools
School district	RSU 03/MSAD 03	—
High school in town	None in town	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.