Compare towns
Brooks vs Mapleton vs Sidney 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 oldest population (median age 45.9).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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 | Sidney | Knox |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
1,884 |
4,790Highest |
825Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%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 |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
41.1±7.9Lowest 8% below ME |
| Brooks and Sidney 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%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Mapleton 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% |
18.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.3%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Sidney 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% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest 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 |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
$64,821±$9k 13% below ME |
| Mapleton and Sidney 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 |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$159,600±$26kLowest 46% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,116±$112 about the ME average |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,340±$304 18% above ME |
$1,375±$47Highest 21% above ME |
| Knox and Sidney 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 |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$2,474Highest 19% below ME |
$1,610Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
11.3%±31.5Lowest 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% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
28 min 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±7.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Brooks and Sidney 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 | — | — | #15 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 18 | — |
| 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.