Compare towns
Brooks vs Mapleton vs Poland vs Knox
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 shortest commute (25 min average).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Poland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.9%).
Knox has the most affordable homes ($160k 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 | Mapleton | Poland | Knox |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
1,884 |
5,954Highest |
825Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+9.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
44.2±9.4 about the ME average |
41.1±7.9Lowest 8% below ME |
| Brooks and Poland 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Poland 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%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.8%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
17.3%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Mapleton and Poland 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% |
23.8%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% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.6%±2.6 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 |
$85,557±$23k 14% above ME |
$64,821±$9k 13% below ME |
| Mapleton and Poland 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±$23k 35% below ME |
$283,600±$44kHighest 4% below ME |
$159,600±$26kLowest 46% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,116±$112 about the ME average |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,198±$128 5% above ME |
$1,375±$47Highest 21% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,096 31% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$2,774Highest 9% below ME |
$1,610Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
61.6%±30.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
11.3%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Poland 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% ME: 10.7% |
16.6% ME: 10.7% |
8.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
81.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988Highest 11 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 |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±7.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Poland and Brooks 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 | — | — | #81 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 16 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Poland Regional H S | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.2 |
— |
| 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.