Compare towns

Rome vs Freedom vs Brooklin

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Rome has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.7%).
Freedom has the most affordable homes ($191k median).
Brooklin has the most people working from home (16.5%).

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.

MeasureRomeFreedomBrooklin
People
Population
1,215Highest
670Lowest
869
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+13.7%Highest
ME: +2.6%
-1.1%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
+0.4%
ME: +2.6%
Median age
48.3±9.2
8% above ME
40.1±2.7Lowest
10% below ME
49.2±3.7Highest
10% above ME
Brooklin and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
21.4%±6.3
ME: 18.1%
22.2%±4.8Highest
ME: 18.1%
16.3%±4.2Lowest
ME: 18.1%
Freedom and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
24.7%±9.1Highest
ME: 22.4%
22.1%±2.9Lowest
ME: 22.4%
24.7%±3.2Highest
ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
39.1%
ME: 36.2%
23.2%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
41.8%Highest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.2%±4.8
ME: 5.8%
0.3%±1.7Lowest
ME: 5.8%
7.2%±2.9Highest
ME: 5.8%
Brooklin and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$77,639±$25kHighest
4% above ME
$64,861±$12kLowest
13% below ME
$68,750±$8k
8% below ME
Rome and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$329,300±$36k
11% above ME
$190,600±$69kLowest
36% below ME
$339,400±$90kHighest
14% above ME
Brooklin and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,150±$56Lowest
about the ME average
—
$1,236±$137Highest
9% above ME
Brooklin and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$1,829
40% below ME
$2,328Highest
23% below ME
$1,792Lowest
41% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
54.2%±59.8Highest
ME: 48.4%
21.1%±100Lowest
ME: 48.4%
29.5%±25
ME: 48.4%
Rome and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
10.3%
ME: 10.7%
11.5%Highest
ME: 10.7%
7.7%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
91.9%Highest
ME: 74.3%
90.2%
ME: 74.3%
84.4%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1986Highest
9 yrs newer than ME
1985
8 yrs newer than ME
1980Lowest
3 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
30 min
21% above ME
32 minHighest
29% above ME
26 minLowest
4% above ME
Work from home
7.4%±3.8Lowest
ME: 15.9%
8.4%±3.9
ME: 15.9%
16.5%±6.8Highest
ME: 15.9%
Brooklin and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district — — Brooklin Public Schools
High school in town — — None in town
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.