Compare towns
Brooks vs Mapleton vs Wade 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).
Wade has the most affordable homes ($157k 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 | Wade | Monroe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
1,884Highest |
244Lowest |
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 |
53.6±18.5Highest 20% above ME |
43.5±7 about the ME average |
| Wade 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% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±6.7Lowest 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% |
34.8%±10.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Wade 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
33.2% 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% |
0.4%±4.6Lowest 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$41,818±$25kLowest 44% 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 |
$157,100±$109kLowest 47% 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 |
$1,655Lowest 45% below ME |
$2,207Highest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.9%±47.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Monroe and Brooks 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% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
78.3% ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1951Lowest 26 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 |
34 minHighest 37% above ME |
32 min 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±6.8Lowest 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 Our Story | 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.