Compare towns
Brooks vs Lowell vs Wade
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%).
Lowell has the most homeowners (88.5%).
Wade has the most affordable homes ($157k 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 | Lowell | Wade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208Highest |
378 |
244Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3% ME: +2.6% |
— | — |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6Lowest about the ME average |
55.5±8.6Highest 24% above ME |
53.6±18.5 20% above ME |
| Lowell and Wade 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% |
13.2%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±6.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Brooks and Wade 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% |
31.2%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
34.8%±10.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Wade and Lowell 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% |
30% ME: 36.2% |
33.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±4.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,130±$10kHighest 21% below ME |
$50,833±$31k 32% below ME |
$41,818±$25kLowest 44% below ME |
| Brooks and Lowell 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 |
$209,700±$30kHighest 29% below ME |
$157,100±$109kLowest 47% below ME |
| Lowell 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 |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,096Highest 31% below ME |
$1,478Lowest 51% below ME |
$1,655 45% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
80%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Lowell 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% |
10.8% ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
31 min 24% above ME |
34 minHighest 37% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±6.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Brooks and Lowell 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 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.