Compare towns
Brooks vs Mapleton vs Perham vs Washburn
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 highest household income ($92k).
Perham has the most homeowners (92.5%).
Washburn has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Perham | Washburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
1,884Highest |
326Lowest |
1,355 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -9.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
53±12.9Highest 18% above ME |
48.2±7.7 8% above ME |
| Perham and Washburn 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% |
19.6%±8.5 ME: 18.1% |
21.7%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Washburn 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% |
24.5%±2.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
24%±3.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Perham and Washburn 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% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
18.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.4 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±$10k 21% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$62,500±$22k 16% below ME |
$56,196±$6kLowest 25% below ME |
| Mapleton and Perham 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 |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$117,600±$9k 60% below ME |
$112,900±$14kLowest 62% 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±$112Highest about the ME average |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
— | $482±$62Lowest 58% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,096Highest 31% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,641 46% below ME |
$1,571Lowest 48% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±24.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
2.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±7.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.7%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Brooks and Mapleton 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 | — | RSU 45/MSAD 45 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | Washburn District High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.