Compare towns
Brooks vs Waldo vs Wayne 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 renters (25.4% rent).
Waldo has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.3%).
Wayne has the most expensive homes ($363k median).
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 | Waldo | Wayne | Knox |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208Highest |
926 |
1,101 |
825Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5% ME: +2.6% |
+0.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
41.1±7.9 8% below ME |
| Wayne 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% |
20.2%±4.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Waldo and Brooks 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% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.3%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5% ME: 36.2% |
36.4% 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% |
1.8%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.6%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Wayne 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 |
$71,458±$21k 4% below ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$64,821±$9k 13% below ME |
| Wayne and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
$208,000±$41k 30% below ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$159,600±$26kLowest 46% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,116±$112 about the ME average |
$1,150±$691 about the ME average |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,375±$47Highest 21% above ME |
| Knox and Waldo 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 |
$1,623 47% below ME |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
$1,610Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
11.3%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo and Wayne 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% |
10.4% ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±7.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | Waldo-Region 7 | RSU 38 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.