The Town FilesBrooks, Maine
Town in Waldo County · population 1,010 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $196,700
- Household income
- $59,130
- Jan low / Jul high
- 10° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 76 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 45.9
Brooks is a town of 1,010 people in Waldo County, Maine. The median home is worth $196,700, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks better transit than 98% of Maine towns, better for first-time buyers than 91% of Maine towns, better for cycling than 80% of Maine towns.
How Brooks ranks
Percentile among Maine towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Maine towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Brooks is worth $196,700, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $59,130, which is more affordable than 56% of Maine towns. Median rent is $1,116 a month. 74.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Brooks | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $196,700 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | $1,116 | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $59,130 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.3× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 74.6% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1986 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 8.0% | — |
Who lives in Brooks
| People | Brooks | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.9 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.0% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 17.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.5% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.1% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 9.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.0% | — |
| Work from home | 14.5% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 25.2 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.6% | 90.0% |
Weather in Brooks
July highs average 77.0°F and January lows 10.2°F. About 48.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 75.5 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 162 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Brooks since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 4 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on May 22, 2022.
Severe weather in Waldo County since 1996
Waldo County has been included in 28 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 20, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4764: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| January 30, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4754: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| September 14, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3598: Hurricane Lee |
| July 6, 2023 | Flood | DR-4719: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| March 22, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4696: Severe Storm And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Waldo County
Waldo County had 11,273 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,674 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Brooks itself the ACS puts it at 4.4%.
Public schools in Brooks
1 public school with 95 students, about 9.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morse Memorial School | PK-5 | 95 | 9.5 |
Towns near Brooks
- Knox, ME4.9 mi · 811 people · home $159,600
- Waldo, ME5.1 mi · 795 people · home $208,000
- Monroe, ME5.2 mi · 931 people · home $220,300
- Jackson, ME5.5 mi · 610 people · home $231,500
- Swanville, ME5.6 mi · 1,377 people · home $237,300
- Thorndike, ME6.9 mi · 774 people · home $205,600
- Morrill, ME7.9 mi · 971 people · home $214,000
- Belfast, ME9.0 mi · 6,938 people · home $340,900
Brooks questions
Is Brooks, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Brooks scores better for retirees than 59% of Maine towns and quieter than 68%. 17.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.9).
How much does a house cost in Brooks?
The median owner-occupied home in Brooks is valued at $196,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $59,130, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $1,116 a month.
What is the weather like in Brooks?
July highs average 77.0°F and January lows 10.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.8 inches of precipitation a year and 75.5 inches of snow.
Does Brooks get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Brooks in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)