Compare towns
Waldo vs Castle Hill vs Brooks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waldo has the highest household income ($71k).
Castle Hill has the most affordable homes ($145k median).
Brooks has the most renters (25.4% rent).
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 | Waldo | Castle Hill | Brooks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 926 |
281Lowest |
1,208Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME |
57.8±15.8Highest 29% above ME |
45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
| Castle Hill and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.2%±4.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.2%±5.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Waldo and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
44.8%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±5.3 ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Castle Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,458±$21kHighest 4% below ME |
$54,250±$14kLowest 27% below ME |
$59,130±$10k 21% below ME |
| Waldo and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $208,000±$41kHighest 30% below ME |
$145,300±$18kLowest 51% below ME |
$196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
| Waldo and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$691Highest about the ME average |
$950±$574Lowest 17% below ME |
$1,116±$112 about the ME average |
| Waldo and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,623 47% below ME |
$1,449Lowest 52% below ME |
$2,096Highest 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.1%±36.3 ME: 48.4% |
75%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Castle Hill and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.4% ME: 10.7% |
4.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 20% below ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 15.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±9.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Waldo and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Waldo-Region 7 | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | None 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.