Compare towns
Jackson vs Mapleton vs Hope vs Brooks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Jackson has the youngest population (median age 37.7).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Hope has the most expensive homes ($373k median).
Brooks has the most renters (25.4% rent).
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 | Jackson | Mapleton | Hope | Brooks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 567Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,748 |
1,208 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.5% ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.7±5.8Lowest 16% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
| Brooks and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.5%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Hope and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.9% ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $75,167±$19k about the ME average |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
| Mapleton and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $231,500±$16k 22% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
$196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $629±$12 45% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
$1,116±$112 about the ME average |
| Hope and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,651 13% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
$2,096 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Hope and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.8% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 41% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 15.3%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Hope and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Hope Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.