Compare towns
Augusta vs Brooks vs Monroe
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Augusta has the most renters (46.2% rent).
Brooks has the oldest population (median age 45.9).
Monroe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.6%).
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 | Augusta | Brooks | Monroe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
1,208 |
1,001Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4Lowest 5% below ME |
45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
43.5±7 about the ME average |
| Brooks and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Monroe and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Monroe and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9% ME: 36.2% |
27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±4.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$59,130±$10k 21% below ME |
$81,300±$7kHighest 9% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $201,000±$18k 32% below ME |
$196,700±$33kLowest 34% below ME |
$220,300±$57kHighest 26% below ME |
| Monroe and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
$1,116±$112 about the ME average |
$1,165±$152Highest about the ME average |
| Monroe and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465Highest 19% below ME |
$2,096Lowest 31% below ME |
$2,207 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.9%±47.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Monroe and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.2% ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
11.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
74.6% ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
32 minHighest 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Augusta 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 | #119 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | Cony | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9 |
— | — |
| 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.