Compare towns
Brooks vs Gorham vs Mars Hill
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 oldest population (median age 45.9).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Mars Hill has the most affordable homes ($164k 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 | Gorham | Mars Hill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208Lowest |
18,300Highest |
1,398 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
43.4±3 3% below ME |
| Brooks and Mars Hill 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% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mars Hill and Gorham 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% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Mars Hill and Gorham 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% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$65,273±$9k 13% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$163,600±$23kLowest 45% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,116±$112 about the ME average |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,096 31% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$1,843Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Gorham and Mars Hill 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% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham 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 | — | #24 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 42/MSAD 42 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gorham High School | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9Highest |
8.0Lowest |
| 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.