Compare towns
Brooks vs Franklin vs Washburn
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%).
Franklin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
Washburn has the most affordable homes ($113k median).
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 | Washburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208Lowest |
1,628Highest |
1,355 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3% ME: +2.6% |
+5.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-9.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6Lowest about the ME average |
46±9.3 about the ME average |
48.2±7.7Highest 8% above ME |
| Washburn and Franklin 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% |
21.7%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Washburn 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% |
24%±3.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Franklin and Washburn 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Franklin 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±$16kHighest 12% below ME |
$56,196±$6kLowest 25% below ME |
| Franklin 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 |
$245,800±$59kHighest 17% below ME |
$112,900±$14kLowest 62% 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 |
$482±$62Lowest 58% 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 |
$1,571Lowest 48% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
36.7%±27.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±24.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Franklin and Washburn 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% |
12.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
76.8% ME: 74.3% |
78.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
29 minHighest 18% above ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.2%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
9.7%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Brooks and Franklin 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 45/MSAD 45 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Washburn District High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.0 |
| 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.