Compare towns
Brooks vs Mapleton vs Bowdoin vs Newburgh
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%).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Bowdoin has the most expensive homes ($293k median).
Newburgh has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.8%).
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 | Mapleton | Bowdoin | Newburgh |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208Lowest |
1,884 |
3,188Highest |
1,475 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+2.5% ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
44.3±10 about the ME average |
45.8±5.7 about the ME average |
| Brooks and Newburgh 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
18.8%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Bowdoin 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% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±2.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Newburgh 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.4% ME: 36.2% |
29.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±2.7 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$91,239±$13k 22% above ME |
$76,750±$10k about the ME average |
| Mapleton and Bowdoin 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$292,800±$71kHighest about the ME average |
$244,600±$20k 18% below ME |
| Bowdoin and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,116±$112Highest about the ME average |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
— | $950±$219 17% below ME |
| Brooks and Newburgh 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,375Highest 11% above ME |
$2,748 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±13.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Newburgh 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% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11% ME: 10.7% |
11.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
28 min 13% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
6.4%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Brooks and Bowdoin 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 | — | — | #28 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | — |
| High school in town | None 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.