Compare towns
Brooks vs Readfield vs Jackson 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 shortest commute (25 min average).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
Jackson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Monroe has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
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 | Readfield | Jackson | Monroe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
2,651Highest |
567Lowest |
1,001 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
0% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
37.7±5.8Lowest 16% below ME |
43.5±7 about the ME average |
| Readfield 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% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Monroe and Readfield 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% |
22.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Monroe and Readfield 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% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
41.9% ME: 36.2% |
29.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.3Lowest 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 |
$86,504±$8kHighest 16% above ME |
$75,167±$19k about the ME average |
$81,300±$7k 9% above ME |
| Readfield 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±$33kLowest 34% below ME |
$326,400±$20kHighest 10% above ME |
$231,500±$16k 22% below ME |
$220,300±$57k 26% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,116±$112 about the ME average |
$1,125±$844 about the ME average |
$629±$12Lowest 45% below ME |
$1,165±$152Highest about the ME average |
| Monroe and Readfield 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 |
$3,392Highest 12% above ME |
$2,651 13% below ME |
$2,207 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.9%±47.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Monroe and Readfield 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% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.8% ME: 10.7% |
11.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.6% ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1992 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
30 min 20% above ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
32 min 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.3%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Jackson 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 | — | #20 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 38 | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5 |
— | — |
| 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.