Compare towns
Durham vs Brooks vs China
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Brooks has the most renters (25.4% rent).
China has the youngest population (median age 40.9).
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 | Durham | Brooks | China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,262 |
1,208Lowest |
4,526Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±5.9 5% below ME |
45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
40.9±5.9Lowest 9% below ME |
| Brooks and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| China and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| China and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
31.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,181±$5kHighest 33% above ME |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$96,309±$12k 29% above ME |
| Durham and China are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,200±$34kHighest 9% above ME |
$196,700±$33kLowest 34% below ME |
$240,000±$37k 19% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,116±$112 about the ME average |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,781Highest 25% above ME |
$2,096Lowest 31% below ME |
$2,535 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±40.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
10.6%±25.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Durham and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
30 minHighest 21% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
12.6%±4.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Durham and Brooks 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 | #14 of 133 in ME | — | #27 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 05 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 18 |
| 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 |
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.