Compare towns
Thorndike vs Brooks vs Wales
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Thorndike has the most people working from home (44.7%).
Brooks has the oldest population (median age 45.9).
Wales has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.5%).
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.
| Measure | Thorndike | Brooks | Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,403 |
1,208Lowest |
1,924Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3% ME: +2.6% |
-0.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
35.1±4.2 22% below ME |
| Brooks and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
30.2%±6 ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11.7%±6 ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
11%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Brooks and Thorndike are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.2% ME: 36.2% |
27.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±3.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,438±$14kHighest 5% above ME |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$77,004±$5k 3% above ME |
| Thorndike and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $205,600±$88k 31% below ME |
$196,700±$33kLowest 34% below ME |
$250,400±$28kHighest 16% below ME |
| Wales and Thorndike are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $836±$317Lowest 27% below ME |
$1,116±$112 about the ME average |
$1,154±$64Highest about the ME average |
| Wales and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,537 16% below ME |
$2,096Lowest 31% below ME |
$2,578Highest 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36%±62.5 ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
83.3%±37.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Wales and Thorndike are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1% ME: 10.7% |
25.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.2% ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Lowest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 46% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
28 min 14% above ME |
| Work from home | 44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22.2%±13.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 04 |
| High school in town | Mt View High School | None in town | Oak Hill High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Lowest |
— | 11.9Highest |
| 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.