Compare towns
Brooks vs Mapleton vs Strong vs Jackson
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).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Jackson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
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 | Strong | Jackson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
1,884Highest |
1,249 |
567Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
47.5±8.9Highest 6% above ME |
37.7±5.8Lowest 16% below ME |
| Strong and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Strong 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% |
22%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Strong 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% ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.3Lowest 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 |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$75,167±$19k about the ME average |
| Mapleton and Jackson 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 |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
$231,500±$16kHighest 22% below ME |
| Jackson 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 |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
$629±$12 45% below ME |
| Brooks and Strong 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 |
$1,950 36% below ME |
$2,651Highest 13% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Strong 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
13.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
28 min 13% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.3%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Jackson 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 58/MSAD 58 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.