Compare towns
Brooks vs Jackson vs Orland
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).
Jackson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Orland has the most expensive homes ($277k 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 | Orland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208 |
567Lowest |
1,915Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
37.7±5.8Lowest 16% below ME |
50.6±4.2Highest 13% above ME |
| Orland and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.8%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
27.5%±2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
31.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±4.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Orland 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±$19kHighest about the ME average |
$69,348±$29k 7% below ME |
| Jackson and Orland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,700±$33kLowest 34% below ME |
$231,500±$16k 22% below ME |
$277,100±$20kHighest 7% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,116±$112 about the ME average |
$629±$12Lowest 45% below ME |
$1,149±$177Highest about the ME average |
| Orland 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 |
$2,089Lowest 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45%±23.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Orland and Brooks 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% |
7.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.6% ME: 74.3% |
87.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
35 min 41% above ME |
40 minHighest 62% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.3%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
17%±11.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Orland and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| 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.