Compare towns

Brooks vs Readfield 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 shortest commute (25 min average).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
Knox has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.6%).

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.

MeasureBrooksReadfieldKnox
People
Population
1,208
2,651Highest
825Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-6.3%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
0%
ME: +2.6%
+0.6%Highest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
45.9±6.6
about the ME average
48.1±7.6Highest
7% above ME
41.1±7.9Lowest
8% below ME
Readfield and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
17.1%±4.2
ME: 18.1%
18.7%±3.9Highest
ME: 18.1%
13.9%±4.6Lowest
ME: 18.1%
Readfield 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%
22.3%±4.5Highest
ME: 22.4%
17.3%±2.9
ME: 22.4%
Readfield and Knox 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%
48.8%Highest
ME: 36.2%
26%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
6.8%±3.5Highest
ME: 5.8%
3.3%±2Lowest
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
$86,504±$8kHighest
16% above ME
$64,821±$9k
13% below ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$196,700±$33k
34% below ME
$326,400±$20kHighest
10% above ME
$159,600±$26kLowest
46% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,116±$112Lowest
about the ME average
$1,125±$844
about the ME average
$1,375±$47Highest
21% above ME
Knox and Readfield 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
$3,392Highest
12% above ME
$1,610Lowest
47% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
18%±17.3
ME: 48.4%
31.3%±100Highest
ME: 48.4%
11.3%±31.5Lowest
ME: 48.4%
Readfield 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%
5%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
8.6%
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
74.6%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
89.9%Highest
ME: 74.3%
80.1%
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1986Highest
9 yrs newer than ME
1979Lowest
2 yrs newer than ME
1985
8 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
25 minLowest
about the ME average
30 min
20% above ME
30 minHighest
22% above ME
Work from home
14.5%±2.9
ME: 15.9%
24.3%±14.9Highest
ME: 15.9%
12.3%±7.4Lowest
ME: 15.9%
Readfield 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 — #20 of 133 in ME —
School district RSU 03/MSAD 03 RSU 38 —
High school in town None in town Maranacook Community High Sch —
Students per teacherat that high school —
11.5
—
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.