Compare towns
Waldo vs Somerville 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 shortest commute (20 min average).
Somerville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.5%).
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 | Waldo | Somerville | Brooks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 926 |
837Lowest |
1,208Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3% ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.5±9.6 16% below ME |
33.5±11.3Lowest 25% below ME |
45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
| Brooks and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.2%±4.5 ME: 18.1% |
28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Somerville and Waldo 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% |
13.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Brooks and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,458±$21kHighest 4% below ME |
$71,250±$15k 5% below ME |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
| Waldo and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $208,000±$41k 30% below ME |
$218,100±$41kHighest 26% below ME |
$196,700±$33kLowest 34% below ME |
| Somerville and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$691 about the ME average |
$1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
$1,116±$112Lowest about the ME average |
| Somerville and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,505Highest 17% below ME |
$2,096 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5 ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17% ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
85.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1986Lowest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 20% below ME |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 15.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest 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 12 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | None in town | None 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.