Compare towns
Knox vs Mapleton vs Phillips 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.6%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Phillips has the most people working from home (16.8%).
Brooks has the most renters (25.4% rent).
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 | Mapleton | Phillips | Brooks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 825Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,094 |
1,208 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.1±7.9Lowest 8% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
49.7±3.7Highest 11% above ME |
45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
| Phillips 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Phillips 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% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.3%±2.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Phillips and Mapleton 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% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6Lowest 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 | $64,821±$9k 13% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$45,385±$12kLowest 39% below ME |
$59,130±$10k 21% below ME |
| Mapleton 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 |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$190,800±$18k 36% below ME |
$196,700±$33kHighest 34% below ME |
| Brooks and Mapleton 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 |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$483±$377Lowest 58% below ME |
$1,116±$112 about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,610Lowest 47% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$2,582Highest 15% below ME |
$2,096 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.3%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
40.4%±33Highest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Phillips 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
17.7% ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
83.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 22% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±7.4 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.8%±7Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Phillips and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | 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.