Compare towns
Knox vs Hampden 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).
Hampden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).
Brooks has the oldest population (median age 45.9).
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 | Hampden | Brooks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 825Lowest |
7,896Highest |
1,208 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6% ME: +2.6% |
+6.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.1±7.9 8% below ME |
41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME |
45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
| 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% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Knox and Hampden 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% |
45.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Hampden 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 |
$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $159,600±$26kLowest 46% below ME |
$301,300±$38kHighest about the ME average |
$196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$47Highest 21% above ME |
$1,286±$317 13% above ME |
$1,116±$112Lowest about the ME average |
| Knox and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,610Lowest 47% below ME |
$3,694Highest 22% above ME |
$2,096 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.3%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Hampden and Brooks 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% |
7.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1% ME: 74.3% |
85.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 22% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±7.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Hampden and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #6 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 22 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | — | Hampden Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.8 |
— |
| 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.