Compare towns
Franklin vs North Windham 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 the oldest population (median age 46).
North Windham has the most people working from home (20.9%).
Brooks has the most affordable homes ($197k 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 | Franklin | North Windham | Brooks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,628 |
5,417Highest |
1,208Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% ME: +2.6% |
+7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46±9.3Highest about the ME average |
42±3Lowest 6% 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% |
16.6%±4.1 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Brooks and North Windham 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% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.5% ME: 36.2% |
37%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and North Windham 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 |
$88,522±$8kHighest 18% above ME |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
| North Windham 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±$59k 17% below ME |
$342,800±$29kHighest 16% above ME |
$196,700±$33kLowest 34% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $888±$306Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,248±$604Highest 10% above ME |
$1,116±$112 about the ME average |
| North Windham and Brooks 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 |
$3,546Highest 17% above ME |
$2,096Lowest 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.7%±27.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.7%±14.3 ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Franklin and North Windham 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% |
6.1%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 | 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 |
26 min 7% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 12.2%±5.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±6.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
| North Windham and Brooks 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 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.