Compare towns
Brooks vs Washburn vs Jackson
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).
Washburn has the most affordable homes ($113k median).
Jackson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
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 | Washburn | Jackson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208 |
1,355Highest |
567Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3% ME: +2.6% |
-9.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
48.2±7.7Highest 8% above ME |
37.7±5.8Lowest 16% below ME |
| Washburn and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.7%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Washburn 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% |
24%±3.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Washburn and Jackson 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Washburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,130±$10k 21% below ME |
$56,196±$6kLowest 25% below ME |
$75,167±$19kHighest about the ME average |
| Jackson and Brooks 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 |
$112,900±$14kLowest 62% below ME |
$231,500±$16kHighest 22% below ME |
| Jackson and Brooks 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 |
$482±$62Lowest 58% below ME |
$629±$12 45% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,096 31% below ME |
$1,571Lowest 48% below ME |
$2,651Highest 13% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±24.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Washburn 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% |
12.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.2% ME: 74.3% |
78.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
9.7%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.3%±6.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Jackson 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 45/MSAD 45 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Washburn District High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.0 |
— |
| 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.