Compare towns
Waldo vs Unity 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 most kids (20.2% under 18).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Brooks has the oldest population (median age 45.9).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity | Brooks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 926Lowest |
1,858Highest |
1,208 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.5±9.6 16% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% 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%±4.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest 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%±1.6 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,458±$21kHighest 4% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
| Waldo and Unity 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 |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$196,700±$33kLowest 34% below ME |
| Waldo and Unity 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 |
$873±$73Lowest 23% 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 | $1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$2,096 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo and Unity 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% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
74.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 20% below ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 15.6%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Waldo 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 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4 |
— |
| 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.