Compare towns
Brooks vs West Paris 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 shortest commute (25 min average).
West Paris has the most people working from home (23.8%).
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 | West Paris | Jackson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208 |
1,808Highest |
567Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2.5% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
46±7.9Highest about the ME average |
37.7±5.8Lowest 16% below ME |
| West Paris 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%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
| West Paris 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% |
23.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and West Paris 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 |
$56,324±$5kLowest 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 |
$193,000±$20kLowest 35% 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 |
$838±$333 26% below ME |
$629±$12Lowest 45% below ME |
| Brooks and West Paris 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 |
$2,083Lowest 31% below ME |
$2,651Highest 13% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
61.5%±34.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| West Paris and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.1% ME: 10.7% |
24.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
32 min 32% above ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
23.8%±18.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.3%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
| West Paris and Jackson 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 17/MSAD 17 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.