Compare towns
Knox vs Brooks vs Princeton
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 expensive homes ($197k median).
Princeton has the most kids (28.2% 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 | Princeton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 825Lowest |
1,208Highest |
866 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3% ME: +2.6% |
-10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.1±7.9 8% below ME |
45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
39.1±9.4Lowest 13% 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% |
28.2%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±3.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Princeton 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% |
24.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±1.5Lowest 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±$9kHighest 13% below ME |
$59,130±$10k 21% below ME |
$56,406±$26kLowest 25% below ME |
| Knox and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $159,600±$26k 46% below ME |
$196,700±$33kHighest 34% below ME |
$120,800±$82kLowest 59% below ME |
| Brooks and Knox 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±$112 about the ME average |
$675±$351Lowest 41% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,610 47% below ME |
$2,096Highest 31% below ME |
$1,573Lowest 48% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.3%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
57.7%±23.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Princeton 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% |
15.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.6% ME: 74.3% |
74.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 22% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
22 minLowest 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±7.4 ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.6%±3.5Lowest 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 | Princeton Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | None 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.