Compare towns
Brooks vs Mapleton vs Washington 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).
Washington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.3%).
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 | Washington | Knox |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
1,884Highest |
1,624 |
825Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
48.2±6.7Highest 8% above ME |
41.1±7.9Lowest 8% below ME |
| Washington 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% |
14.2%±4 ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Brooks 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% |
21.3%±4.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.3%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Washington 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% |
17.3%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% |
3%±1.7Lowest 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 |
$59,861±$17k 20% below ME |
$64,821±$9k 13% below ME |
| Mapleton and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,700±$33kHighest 34% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$195,200±$36k 34% below ME |
$159,600±$26kLowest 46% below ME |
| Brooks and Washington 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 |
$1,036±$322 9% below ME |
$1,375±$47Highest 21% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,096 31% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$2,286Highest 25% 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% |
55.3%±62.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
11.3%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Washington 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% |
15.3% ME: 10.7% |
8.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1987Highest 10 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 |
32 minHighest 30% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.6%±5.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±7.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Washington 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 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | — |
| 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.