Compare towns
Brooks vs Franklin vs Mapleton 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).
Franklin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
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 | Franklin | Mapleton | West Paris |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208Lowest |
1,628 |
1,884Highest |
1,808 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-2.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
46±9.3Highest about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
46±7.9Highest about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.3%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton 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% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Franklin 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% |
28.5% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±1.6Lowest 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±$10k 21% below ME |
$65,455±$16k 12% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$56,324±$5kLowest 25% below ME |
| Mapleton and Franklin 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 |
$245,800±$59kHighest 17% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$193,000±$20k 35% below ME |
| Franklin 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 |
$888±$306 22% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$838±$333 26% below ME |
| Brooks and Franklin 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 |
$2,231Highest 27% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,083 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
36.7%±27.8 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
61.5%±34.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| West Paris and Franklin 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% |
15.7% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
24.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
76.8% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
80.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
29 min 18% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
32 minHighest 32% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
12.2%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest 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 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 17/MSAD 17 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.