Compare towns
Brooks vs Knox vs Unity 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).
Knox has the most affordable homes ($160k median).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Waldo has the most kids (20.2% under 18).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity | Waldo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
825Lowest |
1,858Highest |
926 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.6% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
41.1±7.9 8% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
37.5±9.6 16% below ME |
| Brooks and Knox 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% |
14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Waldo and Brooks 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% |
17.3%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
12.2%±1.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Knox 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% ME: 36.2% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
36.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5 ME: 5.8% |
4.6%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$64,821±$9k 13% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$71,458±$21kHighest 4% below ME |
| Waldo 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±$33k 34% below ME |
$159,600±$26kLowest 46% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$208,000±$41kHighest 30% below ME |
| Waldo and Unity 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 |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,150±$691 about the ME average |
| Knox and Waldo 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 |
$1,610Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,623 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
11.3%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo and Unity 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
10.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6% ME: 74.3% |
80.1% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±7.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Waldo 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 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | Waldo-Region 7 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.4 |
— |
| 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.