Compare towns
Jackson vs Patten 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Patten has the most people working from home (28.7%).
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 | Jackson | Patten | Brooks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 567Lowest |
1,154 |
1,208Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.7±5.8Lowest 16% below ME |
57.8±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 17.5%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
38.5%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,167±$19kHighest about the ME average |
$51,484±$6kLowest 31% below ME |
$59,130±$10k 21% below ME |
| Jackson and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $231,500±$16kHighest 22% below ME |
$127,600±$49kLowest 57% below ME |
$196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
| Jackson and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $629±$12 45% below ME |
$389±$99Lowest 66% below ME |
$1,116±$112Highest about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,651Highest 13% below ME |
$1,199Lowest 61% below ME |
$2,096 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56%±64.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Patten and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
23.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
19.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 41% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 15.3%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town |
| 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.