Compare towns
Mars Hill vs Phillips vs Franklin
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 affordable homes ($164k median).
Phillips has the most people working from home (16.8%).
Franklin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
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 | Phillips | Franklin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,398 |
1,094Lowest |
1,628Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.9% ME: +2.6% |
-12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±3Lowest 3% below ME |
49.7±3.7Highest 11% above ME |
46±9.3 about the ME average |
| Phillips and Franklin 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% |
20.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mars Hill and Phillips 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% |
21.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.6%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Franklin 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% ME: 36.2% |
20.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
28.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±3.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Mars Hill and Franklin 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 |
$45,385±$12kLowest 39% below ME |
$65,455±$16kHighest 12% below ME |
| Franklin 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 |
$190,800±$18k 36% below ME |
$245,800±$59kHighest 17% below ME |
| Franklin and Phillips are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $488±$96 57% below ME |
$483±$377Lowest 58% below ME |
$888±$306Highest 22% below ME |
| Franklin and Mars Hill 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 |
$2,582Highest 15% below ME |
$2,231 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.6%±7.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.4%±33Highest ME: 48.4% |
36.7%±27.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Phillips and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
15.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
76.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
23 min 8% below ME |
29 minHighest 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±6.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.8%±7Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.2%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Phillips and Franklin 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 58/MSAD 58 | — |
| High school in town | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.0 |
— | — |
| 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.