Compare towns
Franklin vs Waterville 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%).
Waterville has the most renters (51.2% rent).
Brooks has the most kids (17.1% under 18).
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 | Waterville | Brooks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,628 |
17,077Highest |
1,208Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7% ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46±9.3Highest about the ME average |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% 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% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest 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% |
18.3%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.5% ME: 36.2% |
30.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,455±$16kHighest 12% below ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
$59,130±$10k 21% below ME |
| Franklin and Brooks 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 |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% 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 |
$978±$72 14% below ME |
$1,116±$112Highest about the ME average |
| Brooks and Waterville 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 |
$2,755Highest 9% below ME |
$2,096Lowest 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.7%±27.8 ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Waterville 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% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
19.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
74.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 18% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 12.2%±5.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Waterville and Brooks 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 | — | #105 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | Waterville Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | — | Waterville Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| 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.