Compare towns
Brooks vs Saco 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).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
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 | Saco | Knox |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208 |
20,819Highest |
825Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
41.1±7.9Lowest 8% below ME |
| Brooks and Saco 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% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Brooks and Saco 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%±2.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.3%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Saco 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% |
43.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
4.6%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Saco 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 |
$92,241±$11kHighest 23% above ME |
$64,821±$9k 13% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
$159,600±$26kLowest 46% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,116±$112Lowest about the ME average |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,375±$47Highest 21% above ME |
| Knox and Saco 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 |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$1,610Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
11.3%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6% ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
24 minLowest 3% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±7.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Saco 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 | — | #38 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | Saco Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | None 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.