Compare towns
Mars Hill vs Mapleton vs Brooks vs Milo
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 shortest commute (21 min average).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Brooks has the most people working from home (14.5%).
Milo has the most affordable homes ($97k median).
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 | Mapleton | Brooks | Milo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,398 |
1,884 |
1,208Lowest |
2,165Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3% ME: +2.6% |
-3.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±3 3% below ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
43.9±7 about the ME average |
| Brooks and Milo 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% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
16.8%±4.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mars Hill and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.2%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Mars Hill 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% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
21.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±3.4 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.8Lowest 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 | $65,273±$9k 13% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$59,130±$10k 21% below ME |
$56,875±$9kLowest 24% below ME |
| Mapleton 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±$23k 45% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$196,700±$33kHighest 34% below ME |
$97,100±$27kLowest 67% 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 | $488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$1,116±$112Highest about the ME average |
$879±$400 23% below ME |
| Brooks and Milo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,843 39% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$2,096Highest 31% below ME |
$1,450Lowest 52% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.6%±7.1 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Milo 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% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
16.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.6% ME: 74.3% |
67.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
42 minHighest 70% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±6.6 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.2%±2.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Brooks and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 42/MSAD 42 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 41/MSAD 41 |
| High school in town | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S | None in town | None in town | Penquis Valley Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.0Lowest |
— | — | 12.5Highest |
| 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.