Compare towns
Brooks vs Knox vs Mapleton vs Springfield
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%).
Knox has the youngest population (median age 41.1).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($123k 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 | Knox | Mapleton | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
825 |
1,884Highest |
310Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
41.1±7.9Lowest 8% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
52.4±7Highest 17% above ME |
| Springfield and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Springfield 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% |
17.3%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.6%±5.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Springfield 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% ME: 36.2% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
17.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.6%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
0.6%±3.7Lowest 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 |
$64,821±$9k 13% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$60,833±$23k 19% below ME |
| Mapleton and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,700±$33kHighest 34% below ME |
$159,600±$26k 46% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$122,500±$28kLowest 59% below ME |
| Brooks and Mapleton 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 |
$1,375±$47Highest 21% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,096Highest 31% below ME |
$1,610 47% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,067Lowest 65% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
11.3%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 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% |
8.6% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
5.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.1% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
96.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 min 21% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±7.4 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
9.6%±5.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Brooks and Knox 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 79/MSAD 01 | — |
| High school 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.