Compare towns
Brooks vs Mapleton vs Steuben vs Franklin
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).
Steuben has the most homeowners (89.4%).
Franklin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
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 | Steuben | Franklin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,388 |
1,628 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-0.2% ME: +2.6% |
+5.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
40.1±8.5Lowest 10% below ME |
46±9.3Highest about the ME average |
| Franklin and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Steuben 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%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.6%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
18.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
28.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Steuben 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 |
$76,466±$4k about the ME average |
$65,455±$16k 12% below ME |
| Mapleton and Steuben 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 |
$173,900±$32kLowest 41% below ME |
$245,800±$59kHighest 17% below ME |
| Franklin and Brooks 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±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$678±$319 40% below ME |
$888±$306 22% below ME |
| Brooks and Franklin 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,029 33% below ME |
$2,231Highest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
26.3%±87.8 ME: 48.4% |
36.7%±27.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Franklin and Steuben 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% |
5.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
76.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
28 min 13% above ME |
28 min 14% above ME |
29 minHighest 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
12.2%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Brooks and Franklin 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 24 | — |
| 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.