Compare towns

Bowdoin vs Monroe vs Richmond

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bowdoin has the most expensive homes ($293k median).
Monroe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.6%).
Richmond has the most people working from home (16.5%).

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.

MeasureBowdoinMonroeRichmond
People
Population
3,188
1,001Lowest
3,566Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+2.5%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
+4.6%Highest
ME: +2.6%
+3.3%
ME: +2.6%
Median age
44.3±10Highest
about the ME average
43.5±7
about the ME average
36.9±3.8Lowest
18% below ME
Bowdoin and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
19.1%±6.2Lowest
ME: 18.1%
23.7%±5.1Highest
ME: 18.1%
23%±5.2
ME: 18.1%
Monroe and Richmond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
14.1%±4.7Lowest
ME: 22.4%
22.6%±4.5Highest
ME: 22.4%
15.6%±3.9
ME: 22.4%
Monroe and Richmond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
30.4%
ME: 36.2%
29.1%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
35.8%Highest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.5%±2.2Lowest
ME: 5.8%
5.3%±4.9Highest
ME: 5.8%
4.5%±2.3
ME: 5.8%
Monroe and Richmond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$91,239±$13kHighest
22% above ME
$81,300±$7k
9% above ME
$65,854±$10kLowest
12% below ME
Bowdoin and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$292,800±$71kHighest
about the ME average
$220,300±$57kLowest
26% below ME
$242,700±$27k
18% below ME
Bowdoin and Richmond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly —
$1,165±$152Highest
about the ME average
$1,077±$166Lowest
5% below ME
Monroe and Richmond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,375Highest
11% above ME
$2,207Lowest
27% below ME
$3,143
4% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
0%±42.3Lowest
ME: 48.4%
50.9%±47.8Highest
ME: 48.4%
47%±23.9
ME: 48.4%
Monroe and Richmond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
11%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
11.3%
ME: 10.7%
12.4%Highest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
84.7%
ME: 74.3%
87.4%Highest
ME: 74.3%
69.9%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1992Highest
15 yrs newer than ME
1992Highest
15 yrs newer than ME
1975Lowest
2 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
32 minHighest
29% above ME
32 min
28% above ME
29 minLowest
19% above ME
Work from home
11.7%±7Lowest
ME: 15.9%
11.8%±4.4
ME: 15.9%
16.5%±6.3Highest
ME: 15.9%
Richmond and Monroe 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 #28 of 133 in ME — —
School district RSU 75/MSAD 75 RSU 03/MSAD 03 Richmond Public Schools
High school in town None in town None in town Richmond High School
Students per teacherat that high school — —
9.3
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.