Compare towns
Brooks vs Mapleton vs Whitefield vs Mars Hill
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
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).
Whitefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8%).
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 | Whitefield | Mars Hill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208Lowest |
1,884 |
2,516Highest |
1,398 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-8.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6 18% above U.S. |
41.8±6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
51.4±4.6Highest 32% above U.S. |
43.4±3 12% above U.S. |
| Whitefield 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 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.6%±5.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±5.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Whitefield and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
26%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brooks and Whitefield 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 27% below U.S. |
$91,731±$25kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$63,125±$12k 22% below U.S. |
$65,273±$9k 19% below U.S. |
| 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±$33k 41% below U.S. |
$191,800±$23k 42% below U.S. |
$240,400±$22kHighest 28% below U.S. |
$163,600±$23kLowest 51% below U.S. |
| Whitefield 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 21% below U.S. |
$610±$277 57% below U.S. |
$1,077±$160 24% below U.S. |
$488±$96Lowest 65% below U.S. |
| Brooks and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,096 33% below U.S. |
$1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$4,394Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,843 41% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.9%±15.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.6%±7.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Whitefield 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brooks and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #86 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | White Mountains Regional School District | RSU 42/MSAD 42 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | White Mountains Regional High School | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 7.9Lowest |
8.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.