Compare towns
Brooks vs Unity vs Franklin
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).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Franklin has the most expensive homes ($246k median).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity | Franklin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208Lowest |
1,858Highest |
1,628 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
46±9.3Highest about the ME average |
| Franklin and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Brooks and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.6%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
28.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$65,455±$16kHighest 12% below ME |
| Franklin and Unity 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 |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$245,800±$59kHighest 17% below ME |
| Franklin and Unity 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 |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$888±$306 22% below ME |
| Brooks and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,096Lowest 31% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$2,231 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
36.7%±27.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Franklin 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% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
15.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
76.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
29 minHighest 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.2%±5.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity 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 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4 |
— |
| 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.