Compare towns
Brooks vs New Gloucester 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 affordable homes ($197k median).
New Gloucester has the most expensive homes ($357k 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 | New Gloucester | Monroe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208 |
5,766Highest |
1,001Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.4% ME: +2.6% |
+4.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
40.1±5.5Lowest 10% 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%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
23.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| New Gloucester and Monroe 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% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Monroe and Brooks 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% |
30.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2.1Lowest 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 |
$108,797±$12kHighest 46% above ME |
$81,300±$7k 9% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,700±$33kLowest 34% below ME |
$357,100±$29kHighest 20% above ME |
$220,300±$57k 26% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,116±$112Lowest about the ME average |
$1,150±$249 about the ME average |
$1,165±$152Highest about the ME average |
| Monroe and New Gloucester 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 |
$3,417Highest 13% above ME |
$2,207 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.7%±12 ME: 48.4% |
50.9%±47.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Monroe and New Gloucester 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% |
4.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.9% ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Lowest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
27 min 9% above ME |
32 minHighest 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Brooks and New Gloucester 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 | — | #65 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | 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 |
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.