Compare towns
Wade vs Brooks vs Lowell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wade has the most affordable homes ($157k median).
Brooks has the most people working from home (14.5%).
Lowell has the most homeowners (88.5%).
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 | Wade | Brooks | Lowell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 244Lowest |
1,208Highest |
378 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -6.3% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 53.6±18.5 20% above ME |
45.9±6.6Lowest about the ME average |
55.5±8.6Highest 24% above ME |
| Lowell and Wade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±6.7 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.2%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Brooks and Wade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 34.8%±10.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31.2%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Wade and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±4.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $41,818±$25kLowest 44% below ME |
$59,130±$10kHighest 21% below ME |
$50,833±$31k 32% below ME |
| Brooks and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $157,100±$109kLowest 47% below ME |
$196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
$209,700±$30kHighest 29% below ME |
| Lowell and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,116±$112 about the ME average |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,655 45% below ME |
$2,096Highest 31% below ME |
$1,478Lowest 51% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
80%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Lowell and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.3% ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 37% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
31 min 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±6.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Brooks and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.