Compare towns
Mars Hill vs Windham 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).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Brooks has the oldest population (median age 45.9).
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 | Windham | Brooks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,398 |
19,188Highest |
1,208Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±3 3% below ME |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
| Brooks and Mars Hill 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% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mars Hill and Windham 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% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Mars Hill and Brooks 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% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±3.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±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 |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $163,600±$23kLowest 45% below ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
$1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
$1,116±$112 about the ME average |
| Windham 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 |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$2,096 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.6%±7.1 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Windham 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% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 6.9%±6.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Windham and Brooks 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 | — | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 42/MSAD 42 | RSU 14 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.0Lowest |
12.1Highest |
— |
| 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.