Compare towns
Franklin vs Trenton 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 highest household income ($65k).
Trenton has the most expensive homes ($357k median).
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 | Trenton | Brooks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,628Highest |
1,599 |
1,208Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% ME: +2.6% |
+7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46±9.3Highest about the ME average |
43.5±7.7Lowest about the ME average |
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% |
20.1%±4.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Trenton 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% |
25.5%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Franklin and Trenton 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% |
42.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Trenton 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 |
$60,455±$13k 19% below ME |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
| Franklin and Trenton 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 |
$357,400±$36kHighest 20% above ME |
$196,700±$33kLowest 34% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $888±$306Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,102±$241 3% below ME |
$1,116±$112Highest about the ME average |
| Brooks and Trenton 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 |
$2,310Highest 24% below ME |
$2,096Lowest 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.7%±27.8 ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±20.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Trenton and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.2% ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.8% ME: 74.3% |
77.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Lowest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 18% above ME |
29 min 17% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 12.2%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
11.3%±4.9Lowest 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 | |||
| School district | — | Trenton Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | — | None 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.