Compare towns
Brooks vs Cornish vs Unity 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 oldest population (median age 45.9).
Cornish has the most expensive homes ($274k median).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Monroe has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Cornish | Unity | Monroe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
1,803 |
1,858Highest |
1,001Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.5% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
39±8.5 13% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
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 | 17.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
18.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Monroe and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Monroe and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5% ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
29.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5 ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±4.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$69,038±$4k 8% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$81,300±$7kHighest 9% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,700±$33kLowest 34% below ME |
$274,200±$84kHighest 8% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$220,300±$57k 26% below ME |
| Cornish and Monroe 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 |
$1,196±$148Highest 5% above ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,165±$152 about the ME average |
| Cornish and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,096Lowest 31% below ME |
$2,309 24% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$2,207 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
50.9%±47.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Monroe and Cornish 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% |
6.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
11.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.1% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
31 min 27% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
32 minHighest 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Brooks 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 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.