Compare towns
Brooks vs Mapleton vs Newcastle vs Jackson
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 renters (25.4% rent).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Newcastle has the most expensive homes ($398k median).
Jackson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
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 | Mapleton | Newcastle | Jackson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
1,884 |
1,913Highest |
567Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
49.4±7Highest 10% above ME |
37.7±5.8Lowest 16% below ME |
| Newcastle and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.8%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Newcastle 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% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±1.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
45.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
41.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.3Lowest 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 |
$89,868±$33k 20% above ME |
$75,167±$19k about the ME average |
| Mapleton and Newcastle 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 |
$398,000±$41kHighest 34% above ME |
$231,500±$16k 22% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,116±$112 about the ME average |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,363±$81Highest 20% above ME |
$629±$12 45% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,096 31% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$4,256Highest 40% above ME |
$2,651 13% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
5.8%±16.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
6.3%±60.5 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
80.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
28 min 13% above ME |
17 minLowest 30% below ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±4.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.3%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Newcastle and Jackson 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.