Compare towns
Brooks vs Jay vs Waldo
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).
Jay has the most affordable homes ($169k median).
Waldo has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.3%).
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 | Jay | Waldo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208 |
4,657Highest |
926Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8% ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
39.5±5.1 12% below ME |
37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME |
| Brooks and Jay 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% |
17.5%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Waldo and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Jay and Brooks 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% |
29.7% ME: 36.2% |
36.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Jay 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 |
$70,238±$19k 6% below ME |
$71,458±$21kHighest 4% below ME |
| Waldo and Jay 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 |
$168,600±$27kLowest 43% below ME |
$208,000±$41kHighest 30% below ME |
| Waldo and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,116±$112 about the ME average |
$759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$1,150±$691Highest about the ME average |
| Waldo 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 |
$2,245Highest 26% below ME |
$1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo and Jay 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% |
9.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.7% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest about the ME average |
21 min 13% below ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Waldo 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 | — | #86 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 73 | Waldo-Region 7 |
| High school in town | None in town | Spruce Mountain High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
— |
| 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.