Compare towns
Brooks vs Mercer
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 renters (25.4% rent).
Mercer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
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 | Mercer |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 1,208Highest |
718Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
| Brooks and Mercer 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% |
20.1%±6.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mercer 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% |
25.9%±5.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$71,107±$2kHighest 5% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,700±$33kLowest 34% below ME |
$238,500±$32kHighest 20% below ME |
| Mercer and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,116±$112Lowest about the ME average |
$1,422±$249Highest 25% above ME |
| Mercer and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,096Highest 31% below ME |
$1,970Lowest 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
18.5%±74Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Mercer 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% |
13.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Lowest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.5%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Mercer 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 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.