Compare towns
Brooks vs Pittston vs Union
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 affordable homes ($197k median).
Pittston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
Union has the most kids (24.9% under 18).
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 | Pittston | Union |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208Lowest |
3,093Highest |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
41.4±5.9Lowest 8% below ME |
41.6±5.3 7% below ME |
| Brooks and Union 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% |
17.2%±7.4 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Pittston 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% |
18.5%±6.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Union and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5% ME: 36.2% |
26.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Pittston 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 |
$86,614±$18kHighest 16% above ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
| Pittston and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,700±$33kLowest 34% below ME |
$238,700±$66k 20% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
| Union and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,116±$112 about the ME average |
$1,080±$593Lowest 5% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
| Union and Brooks 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 |
$1,909Lowest 37% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±34.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Pittston and Union 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% |
10.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81% ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
26 min 7% above ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
3.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #123 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | 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.