Compare towns
Knox vs Brooks vs Freedom
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Knox has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.6%).
Brooks has the most people working from home (14.5%).
Freedom has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
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 | Brooks | Freedom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 825 |
1,208Highest |
670Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.1±7.9 8% below ME |
45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
40.1±2.7Lowest 10% below ME |
| Brooks and Knox 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% |
17.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Freedom 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% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Freedom and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26% ME: 36.2% |
27.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.3%±1.7Lowest 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 |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$64,861±$12kHighest 13% below ME |
| Freedom 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 |
$196,700±$33kHighest 34% below ME |
$190,600±$69k 36% below ME |
| Brooks and Freedom 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 |
$1,116±$112Lowest about the ME average |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,610Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,096 31% below ME |
$2,328Highest 23% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.3%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
21.1%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Freedom and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
11.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1% ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 22% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±7.4 ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±3.9Lowest 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 | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — |
| High school 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.