Compare towns
Washburn vs Strong vs Brooks 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).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Brooks has the most renters (25.4% rent).
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 | Strong | Brooks | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,355 |
1,249 |
1,208Lowest |
1,884Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -9.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5% ME: +2.6% |
-6.3% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.2±7.7Highest 8% above ME |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
| Washburn and Strong 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% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2Lowest 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%±3.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Washburn and Strong 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% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest 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 |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$59,130±$10k 21% 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 |
$183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
$196,700±$33kHighest 34% 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 |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
$1,116±$112Highest about the ME average |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
| Brooks and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,571Lowest 48% below ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
$2,096Highest 31% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±24.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Washburn and Strong 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% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.2% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1971 6 yrs older than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 15% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.7%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Brooks 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 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | Washburn District High School | None in town | 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.