Compare towns
Winthrop vs Brooks vs Manchester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Winthrop has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.5%).
Brooks has the most affordable homes ($197k median).
Manchester has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Winthrop | Brooks | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,191Highest |
1,208Lowest |
2,424 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.6±5.3Lowest about the ME average |
45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
46.9±4.6Highest 5% above ME |
| Manchester and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Winthrop and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.4%±5Highest ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Winthrop and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40% ME: 36.2% |
27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,470±$4k 16% above ME |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$92,031±$16kHighest 23% above ME |
| Manchester and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $294,800±$41k about the ME average |
$196,700±$33kLowest 34% below ME |
$299,600±$40kHighest about the ME average |
| Manchester and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $892±$319Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,116±$112Highest about the ME average |
$993±$116 13% below ME |
| Brooks and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,506Highest 15% above ME |
$2,096Lowest 31% below ME |
$3,486 15% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.8%±22.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±18.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Winthrop and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.9% ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 41% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 23.1%±6.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Winthrop and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #12 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Winthrop Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | Winthrop High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7 |
— | — |
| 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.