Compare towns
Brooks vs Peru vs Washington
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).
Peru has the most affordable homes ($141k median).
Washington 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 | Peru | Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208Lowest |
1,501 |
1,624Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.4% ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6Lowest about the ME average |
48±7.6 7% above ME |
48.2±6.7Highest 8% above ME |
| Washington and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
20.8%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.2%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Peru 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% |
21.7%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.3%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Peru and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.7% ME: 36.2% |
17.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Peru 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 |
$66,827±$19kHighest 11% below ME |
$59,861±$17k 20% below ME |
| Peru and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,700±$33kHighest 34% below ME |
$141,300±$38kLowest 52% below ME |
$195,200±$36k 34% below ME |
| Brooks and Washington 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 |
$723±$16Lowest 37% below ME |
$1,036±$322 9% below ME |
| Brooks and Washington 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 |
$1,799Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,286Highest 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
21.7%±37.5 ME: 48.4% |
55.3%±62.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Washington and Peru 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% |
9.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.2% ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
29 min 18% above ME |
32 minHighest 30% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
9.2%±4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.6%±5.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Washington 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 | RSU 56 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None 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.