Compare towns
Washburn vs Brooks vs Wade vs Mapleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Washburn has the most affordable homes ($113k median).
Brooks has the most people working from home (14.5%).
Wade has the oldest population (median age 53.6).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
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 | Washburn | Brooks | Wade | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,355 |
1,208 |
244Lowest |
1,884Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -9.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3% ME: +2.6% |
— | -3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.2±7.7 8% above ME |
45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
53.6±18.5Highest 20% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
| Wade and Washburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±6.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Washburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24%±3.7 ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
34.8%±10.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Wade and Washburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
33.2% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±4.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,196±$6k 25% below ME |
$59,130±$10k 21% below ME |
$41,818±$25kLowest 44% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
| Mapleton and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $112,900±$14kLowest 62% below ME |
$196,700±$33kHighest 34% below ME |
$157,100±$109k 47% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
| Brooks and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $482±$62Lowest 58% below ME |
$1,116±$112Highest about the ME average |
— | $610±$277 46% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,571Lowest 48% below ME |
$2,096Highest 31% below ME |
$1,655 45% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±24.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Washburn and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.7% ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.2% ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.3% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 8 yrs older than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 15% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
34 minHighest 37% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.7%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Brooks and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 45/MSAD 45 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | Washburn District High School | None in town | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.