Compare towns
Brooks vs Jackson vs Mapleton vs Sidney
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).
Jackson has the youngest population (median age 37.7).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Sidney has the most expensive homes ($336k 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 | Jackson | Mapleton | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
567Lowest |
1,884 |
4,790Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
37.7±5.8Lowest 16% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
| Brooks and Sidney 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% |
17.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Mapleton 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%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Sidney and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2 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±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$75,167±$19k about the ME average |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
| Mapleton and Sidney 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 |
$231,500±$16k 22% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,116±$112 about the ME average |
$629±$12 45% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
| Sidney and Brooks 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 |
$2,651Highest 13% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,474 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Brooks and Mapleton 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% |
13.8% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1993 16 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
15.3%±6.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Jackson 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 | — | — | — | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.