Compare towns
Jackson vs Strong vs Mapleton 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%).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
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 | Strong | Mapleton | Brooks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 567Lowest |
1,249 |
1,884Highest |
1,208 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-6.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.7±5.8Lowest 16% below ME |
47.5±8.9Highest 6% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
| Strong and Brooks 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% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Strong 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% |
22%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Strong 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 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 |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$59,130±$10k 21% below ME |
| Mapleton and Jackson 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 |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% 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 |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,116±$112Highest about the ME average |
| Brooks and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,651Highest 13% below ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,096 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Strong 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% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 41% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 15.3%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | 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.