Compare towns
Brooks vs Bingham vs Monroe
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brooks has the most people working from home (14.5%).
Bingham has the most affordable homes ($103k median).
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 | Brooks | Bingham | Monroe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208Highest |
660Lowest |
1,001 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-6.1% ME: +2.6% |
+4.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
56±8.2Highest 25% above ME |
43.5±7Lowest about the ME average |
| Bingham and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±6.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Monroe and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
38.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5% ME: 36.2% |
22.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±2.6Lowest 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 | $59,130±$10k 21% below ME |
$42,708±$22kLowest 43% below ME |
$81,300±$7kHighest 9% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
$103,000±$26kLowest 65% below ME |
$220,300±$57kHighest 26% below ME |
| Monroe and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,116±$112 about the ME average |
$354±$264Lowest 69% below ME |
$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 | $2,096 31% below ME |
$1,059Lowest 65% below ME |
$2,207Highest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±45.9 ME: 48.4% |
50.9%±47.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Monroe and Bingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
16.1% ME: 10.7% |
11.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
28 min 13% above ME |
32 minHighest 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Brooks and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 83/MSAD 13 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | None in town | Upper Kennebec Valley Middle/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.3 |
— |
| 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.