Compare towns
Brooks vs Patten vs Jackson
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).
Patten has the most people working from home (28.7%).
Jackson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
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 | Patten | Jackson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208Highest |
1,154 |
567Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3% ME: +2.6% |
-13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
57.8±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
37.7±5.8Lowest 16% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
38.5%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5% ME: 36.2% |
25.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,130±$10k 21% below ME |
$51,484±$6kLowest 31% below ME |
$75,167±$19kHighest about the ME average |
| Jackson and Brooks 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 |
$127,600±$49kLowest 57% below ME |
$231,500±$16kHighest 22% below ME |
| Jackson 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 about the ME average |
$389±$99Lowest 66% below ME |
$629±$12 45% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,096 31% below ME |
$1,199Lowest 61% below ME |
$2,651Highest 13% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
56%±64.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Patten and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.1% ME: 10.7% |
23.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
28 min 13% above ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.3%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Jackson 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 History | 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.