Compare towns
Brooks vs Mapleton vs Steep Falls vs Waldo
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 highest household income ($92k).
Steep Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
Waldo has the shortest commute (20 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 | Steep Falls | Waldo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
1,884Highest |
1,861 |
926Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
44.1±6.5 about the ME average |
37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME |
| Brooks and Steep Falls 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%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±9.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Steep Falls and Mapleton 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%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
9.7%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
12.2%±1.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Mapleton and Brooks 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% ME: 36.2% |
14.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
36.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±3.8 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1Lowest 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 |
$80,280±$33k 7% above ME |
$71,458±$21k 4% below ME |
| Mapleton and Steep Falls 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 |
$243,400±$31kHighest 18% below ME |
$208,000±$41k 30% below ME |
| Steep Falls and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,116±$112 about the ME average |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,516±$1kHighest 33% above ME |
$1,150±$691 about the ME average |
| Steep Falls and Waldo 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 |
$3,273Highest 8% above ME |
$1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
66.4%±36.1 ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo and Steep Falls 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% |
7.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
80.2% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
28 min 13% above ME |
31 minHighest 25% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
4%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Waldo and Brooks 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 | — | Waldo-Region 7 |
| 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.