Compare towns
Brooks vs Middlesex vs Waldo
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 renters (25.4% rent).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Waldo has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.3%).
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 | Middlesex | Waldo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208 |
1,943Highest |
926Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6Highest 18% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
37.5±9.6Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Brooks and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Middlesex and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Middlesex and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brooks and Middlesex 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. |
$109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$71,458±$21k 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,700±$33kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$376,300±$40kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$208,000±$41k 37% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,116±$112Lowest 21% below U.S. |
$1,333±$359Highest 6% below U.S. |
$1,150±$691 19% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Waldo 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. |
$6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
$1,623Lowest 48% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
74.1%±36.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 19.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Lowest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Lowest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Waldo-Region 7 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.