Compare towns
Franklin vs West Paris 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%).
West Paris has the most people working from home (23.8%).
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 | West Paris | Brooks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,628 |
1,808Highest |
1,208Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.5% ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46±9.3Highest about the ME average |
46±7.9Highest about the ME average |
45.9±6.6Lowest about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
14.3%±3.3Lowest 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% |
25.2%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Franklin and West Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±1.6Lowest 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±$16kHighest 12% below ME |
$56,324±$5kLowest 25% 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 |
$193,000±$20kLowest 35% 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±$306 22% below ME |
$838±$333Lowest 26% 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 | $2,231Highest 27% below ME |
$2,083Lowest 31% below ME |
$2,096 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.7%±27.8 ME: 48.4% |
61.5%±34.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| West Paris 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% |
24.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
19.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.8% ME: 74.3% |
80.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 18% above ME |
32 minHighest 32% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 12.2%±5.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
23.8%±18.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
| West Paris and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 17/MSAD 17 | 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.