Compare towns
Mars Hill vs Union vs Wayne 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 affordable homes ($164k median).
Union has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
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 | Union | Wayne | Brooks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,398 |
2,663Highest |
1,101Lowest |
1,208 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5% ME: +2.6% |
-6.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±3 3% below ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
| Wayne and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Mars Hill 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% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne 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% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±3.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Wayne 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 |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
| Wayne and Union 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 |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
$1,116±$112 about the ME average |
| Union 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 |
$3,276 8% above ME |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
$2,096 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.6%±7.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Mars Hill and Wayne 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% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 6.9%±6.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Union 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 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 38 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.0 |
— | — | — |
| 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.