Compare towns
Franklin vs Jay vs Brooks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Franklin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
Jay has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Brooks has the most people working from home (14.5%).
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 | Franklin | Jay | Brooks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,628 |
4,657Highest |
1,208Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8% ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46±9.3Highest about the ME average |
39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
| Franklin and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Jay and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.6%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Franklin and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.5% ME: 36.2% |
29.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,455±$16k 12% below ME |
$70,238±$19kHighest 6% below ME |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
| Jay and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,800±$59kHighest 17% below ME |
$168,600±$27kLowest 43% below ME |
$196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
| Franklin and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $888±$306 22% below ME |
$759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$1,116±$112Highest about the ME average |
| Brooks and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,231 27% below ME |
$2,245Highest 26% below ME |
$2,096Lowest 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.7%±27.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Franklin and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.7% ME: 10.7% |
9.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.8% ME: 74.3% |
82.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 18% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 12.2%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Brooks and Franklin 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 | — | #86 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 73 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | — | Spruce Mountain High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
— |
| 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.