Compare towns
Brooks vs Mapleton vs Washington vs Mars Hill
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 expensive homes ($197k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Washington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.3%).
Mars Hill has the shortest commute (21 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 | Washington | Mars Hill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,624 |
1,398 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
48.2±6.7Highest 8% above ME |
43.4±3 3% 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%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
14.2%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mars Hill 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% |
21.3%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Mars Hill and Washington 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% |
4.8%±3.4 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 |
$65,273±$9k 13% below ME |
| Mapleton and Mars Hill 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 |
$163,600±$23kLowest 45% 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±$112Highest about the ME average |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$1,036±$322 9% below ME |
$488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
| Brooks and Washington 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 |
$2,286Highest 25% below ME |
$1,843 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.3%±62.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Washington and Mars Hill 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% |
15.3% ME: 10.7% |
9.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
28 min 13% above ME |
32 minHighest 30% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
14.6%±5.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6Lowest 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 | RSU 42/MSAD 42 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 8.0 |
| 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.