Compare towns
Franklin vs Knox 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%).
Knox has the most affordable homes ($160k median).
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 | Knox | Brooks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,628Highest |
825Lowest |
1,208 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.6% ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46±9.3Highest about the ME average |
41.1±7.9Lowest 8% 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%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Brooks and Franklin 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% |
17.3%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.6%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest 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 | $65,455±$16kHighest 12% below ME |
$64,821±$9k 13% below ME |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
| Franklin and Knox 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 |
$159,600±$26kLowest 46% 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±$306Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,375±$47Highest 21% above ME |
$1,116±$112 about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,231Highest 27% below ME |
$1,610Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,096 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.7%±27.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
11.3%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Franklin and Brooks 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% |
8.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.8% ME: 74.3% |
80.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Lowest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 18% above ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 12.2%±5.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±7.4 ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Brooks and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school 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.