Compare towns
Franklin vs Thorndike 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%).
Thorndike has the most people working from home (44.7%).
Brooks has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Thorndike | Brooks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,628Highest |
1,403 |
1,208Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46±9.3Highest about the ME average |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% 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% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 25.6%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Franklin 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 |
$78,438±$14kHighest 5% above ME |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
| Thorndike 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 |
$205,600±$88k 31% below ME |
$196,700±$33kLowest 34% below ME |
| Franklin and Thorndike 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 |
$836±$317Lowest 27% 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 |
$2,537Highest 16% below ME |
$2,096Lowest 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.7%±27.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5 ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Franklin and Thorndike 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% |
6.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.8% ME: 74.3% |
87.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Lowest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1984Lowest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 18% above ME |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 12.2%±5.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike 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 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | — | Mt View High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.7 |
— |
| 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.