Compare towns
Mars Hill vs Hancock vs Brooks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mars Hill has the most kids (22.9% under 18).
Hancock has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3%).
Brooks has the most people working from home (14.5%).
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 | Mars Hill | Hancock | Brooks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,398 |
2,518Highest |
1,208Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±3Lowest 3% below ME |
56.3±6.4Highest 26% above ME |
45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
| Hancock and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Mars Hill and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
30.2%±7Highest ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Hancock and Mars Hill 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% |
34.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±3.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,273±$9k 13% below ME |
$72,285±$5kHighest 3% below ME |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
| Hancock and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $163,600±$23kLowest 45% below ME |
$276,800±$51kHighest 7% below ME |
$196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
| Hancock and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
$1,171±$65Highest about the ME average |
$1,116±$112 about the ME average |
| Hancock and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,843Lowest 39% below ME |
$1,869 38% below ME |
$2,096Highest 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.6%±7.1 ME: 48.4% |
42%±15.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Hancock and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.6% ME: 10.7% |
8.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
29 minHighest 18% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 6.9%±6.6 ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Brooks and Mars Hill 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 | — | #117 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 42/MSAD 42 | Hancock Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.0 |
— | — |
| 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.