Compare towns
Washburn vs Perham vs Mapleton vs Brooks
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 shortest commute (21 min average).
Perham has the most homeowners (92.5%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Brooks has the most people working from home (14.5%).
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 | Washburn | Perham | Mapleton | Brooks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,355 |
326Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,208 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -9.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | -3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.2±7.7 8% above ME |
53±12.9Highest 18% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
| Perham 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% |
19.6%±8.5 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2Lowest 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% |
24.5%±2.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Perham 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% ME: 36.2% |
18.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest 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±$6kLowest 25% below ME |
$62,500±$22k 16% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$59,130±$10k 21% below ME |
| Mapleton and Perham 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 |
$117,600±$9k 60% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$196,700±$33kHighest 34% 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 |
— | $610±$277 46% below ME |
$1,116±$112Highest about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,571Lowest 48% below ME |
$1,641 46% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$2,096Highest 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±24.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 12.7% ME: 10.7% |
2.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.2% ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 15% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 9.7%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±7.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9Highest 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 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| 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.