Compare towns
Brooks vs Franklin vs Hampden
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 affordable homes ($197k median).
Franklin has the oldest population (median age 46).
Hampden has the highest household income ($112k).
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 | Franklin | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208Lowest |
1,628 |
7,896Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.7% ME: +2.6% |
+6.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
46±9.3Highest about the ME average |
41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME |
| Franklin 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% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden 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% |
25.6%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
28.5% ME: 36.2% |
45.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Hampden 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 |
$65,455±$16k 12% below ME |
$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,700±$33kLowest 34% below ME |
$245,800±$59k 17% below ME |
$301,300±$38kHighest about the ME average |
| Hampden and Franklin 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 |
$888±$306Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,286±$317Highest 13% above ME |
| Hampden and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,096Lowest 31% below ME |
$2,231 27% below ME |
$3,694Highest 22% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
36.7%±27.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Franklin and Hampden 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% |
15.7% ME: 10.7% |
7.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
76.8% ME: 74.3% |
85.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
29 minHighest 18% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
12.2%±5.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Hampden and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #6 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — | RSU 22 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Hampden Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.