Compare towns
Brooks vs Windham vs Waldo 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 oldest population (median age 45.9).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Waldo has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Windham | Waldo | Knox |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
19,188Highest |
926 |
825Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
+0.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME |
41.1±7.9 8% below ME |
| Brooks and Windham 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% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Waldo and Windham 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% |
15.9%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.3%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Knox and Brooks 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% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
36.4% ME: 36.2% |
26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.6%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Knox 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 |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$71,458±$21k 4% below ME |
$64,821±$9k 13% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$208,000±$41k 30% below ME |
$159,600±$26kLowest 46% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,116±$112Lowest about the ME average |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$1,150±$691 about the ME average |
$1,375±$47Highest 21% above ME |
| Knox and Windham 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 |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$1,623 47% below ME |
$1,610Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
11.3%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo and Windham 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% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.4% ME: 10.7% |
8.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
26 min 7% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±7.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Windham and Waldo 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 | — | #95 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 14 | Waldo-Region 7 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— | — |
| 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.