Compare towns
Brooks vs Mapleton vs Perham 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%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Perham has the most affordable homes ($118k median).
Monroe has the most expensive homes ($220k median).
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 | Mapleton | Perham | Monroe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
1,884Highest |
326Lowest |
1,001 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
— | +4.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
53±12.9Highest 18% above ME |
43.5±7 about the ME average |
| Perham and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
19.6%±8.5 ME: 18.1% |
23.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Monroe and Mapleton 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% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±2.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Perham and Monroe 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% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
18.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.9Lowest 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±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$62,500±$22k 16% below ME |
$81,300±$7k 9% above ME |
| Mapleton and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$117,600±$9kLowest 60% 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 |
$610±$277Lowest 46% 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 |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,641Lowest 46% below ME |
$2,207Highest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
50.9%±47.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Monroe and Perham 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
2.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
28 min 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
32 minHighest 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±7.2Lowest 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 79/MSAD 01 | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.