Compare towns
Brooks vs Mount Desert vs Knox
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 kids (17.1% under 18).
Mount Desert has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).
Knox has the most affordable homes ($160k median).
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 | Mount Desert | Knox |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208 |
1,671Highest |
825Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
41.1±7.9Lowest 8% below ME |
| Mount Desert and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Brooks and Mount Desert 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% |
29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.3%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5% ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.6%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Knox 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 |
$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME |
$64,821±$9k 13% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$159,600±$26kLowest 46% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,116±$112Lowest about the ME average |
$1,341±$89 18% above ME |
$1,375±$47Highest 21% above ME |
| Knox and Mount Desert 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 |
$3,512Highest 16% above ME |
$1,610Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
11.3%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Mount Desert 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% |
7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±7.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Desert 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 | Mount Desert Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.