Compare towns
Brooks vs Sumner vs Monroe vs Mars Hill
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sumner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
Monroe has the highest household income ($81k).
Mars Hill has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Sumner | Monroe | Mars Hill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
845Lowest |
1,001 |
1,398Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3% ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.6% ME: +2.6% |
-8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
43.5±7 about the ME average |
43.4±3Lowest 3% below ME |
| Sumner 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% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
23.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Monroe and Mars Hill 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% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Mars Hill 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% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±4.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4 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 |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
$81,300±$7kHighest 9% above ME |
$65,273±$9k 13% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$220,300±$57kHighest 26% below ME |
$163,600±$23k 45% 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 |
— | $1,165±$152Highest about the ME average |
$488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
| 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 |
$2,167 29% below ME |
$2,207Highest 27% below ME |
$1,843Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.9%±47.8 ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Monroe 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% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.3% ME: 10.7% |
9.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6% ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
32 min 28% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner 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 10 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 42/MSAD 42 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 8.0 |
| 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.