Compare towns
Brooksville vs Mapleton vs Vinalhaven vs Castine
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Vinalhaven has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.8%).
Castine has the youngest population (median age 21.2).
Castine is a college town. 47.7% 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 | Brooksville | Mapleton | Vinalhaven | Castine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 853Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,216 |
1,362 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+9.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 61.4±6.3 37% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
65.1±3.9Highest 45% above ME |
21.2±0.7Lowest 53% below ME |
| Vinalhaven and Brooksville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13%±2.9 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
9.5%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 41.6%±10.6 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
50.4%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Vinalhaven and Brooksville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.6% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
45.7% ME: 36.2% |
74.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
47.7%±7.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,316±$20kLowest 25% below ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$72,963±$11k about the ME average |
$113,750±$26kHighest 52% above ME |
| Castine and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,900±$113k 32% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$428,400±$44k 44% above ME |
$603,500±$114kHighest 103% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,307±$68Highest 15% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,017±$924 11% below ME |
$1,105±$104 about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,945 36% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,598 19% above ME |
$4,250Highest 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
53.6%±41.5 ME: 48.4% |
60.3%±56Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Castine and Vinalhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
7.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
14.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
86.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 15% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
19 min 24% below ME |
14 minLowest 42% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.7%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±10.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Vinalhaven and Brooksville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Brooksville Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | Castine Public Schools |
| 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.