Compare towns
Mapleton vs Sumner vs Brooks vs East Machias
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Sumner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
Brooks has the most renters (25.4% rent).
East Machias has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Mapleton | Sumner | Brooks | East Machias |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
845Lowest |
1,208 |
1,223 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
42.8±2.9 4% below ME |
| Sumner and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| East Machias and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
33.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.8 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 | $91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
$59,130±$10k 21% below ME |
$57,589±$10kLowest 23% below ME |
| Mapleton and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
$210,800±$23kHighest 29% below ME |
| East Machias and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
— | $1,116±$112Highest about the ME average |
$907±$566 20% below ME |
| Brooks and East Machias are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,167Highest 29% below ME |
$2,096 31% below ME |
$1,836 40% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±40.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and East Machias are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
15.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
18 minLowest 28% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
4.1%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner 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 10 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | East Machias Public Schools |
| High school in town | None 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.