Compare towns
Brooks vs Mapleton vs Weld 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 shortest commute (25 min average).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Weld has the oldest population (median age 64).
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 | Weld | Franklin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
1,884Highest |
459Lowest |
1,628 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
— | +5.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
64±6.7Highest 43% above ME |
46±9.3 about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.9%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Weld 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% |
44.4%±12.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.6%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
42.1%Highest 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% |
1.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±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 |
$62,083±$11k 17% below ME |
$65,455±$16k 12% below ME |
| Mapleton and Franklin 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 |
$268,600±$17kHighest 9% below ME |
$245,800±$59k 17% below ME |
| Weld and Franklin 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 |
— | $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 |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,308Lowest 57% below ME |
$2,231Highest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
36.7%±27.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Franklin 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% |
6.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
93.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
76.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older 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 |
30 minHighest 21% above ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±8.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.2%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Weld 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 | — | — |
| High school 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.