Compare towns
Knox vs Appleton vs Morrill vs Brooks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Knox has the most affordable homes ($160k median).
Appleton has the most expensive homes ($236k median).
Morrill has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.8%).
Brooks has the most people working from home (14.5%).
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 | Knox | Appleton | Morrill | Brooks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 825Lowest |
1,360Highest |
914 |
1,208 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+9.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.1±7.9 8% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
39.8±6.1Lowest 11% below ME |
45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
22.8%±4.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Morrill and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Morrill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
31.2% ME: 36.2% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $64,821±$9k 13% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$74,250±$18kHighest about the ME average |
$59,130±$10k 21% below ME |
| Morrill and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $159,600±$26kLowest 46% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$214,000±$18k 28% below ME |
$196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
| Appleton and Morrill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$47Highest 21% above ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$975±$891Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,116±$112 about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,610Lowest 47% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,472 19% below ME |
$2,096 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.3%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
34.3%±45.5 ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Morrill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.6% ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
6.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1% ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
89.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 22% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±7.4 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
5.9%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Brooks and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 71 | 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.