Compare towns
Brooks vs Windsor vs Mars Hill vs Monroe
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brooks has the most people working from home (14.5%).
Windsor has the most renters (42.2% rent).
Mars Hill has the most affordable homes ($164k 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 | Windsor | Mars Hill | Monroe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
3,554Highest |
1,398 |
1,001Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-8.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6Highest 18% above U.S. |
44.8±6.5 15% above U.S. |
43.4±3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
43.5±7 12% above U.S. |
| Brooks and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±5.7 U.S.: 22% |
23.7%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±5.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windsor 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±3.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±4.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 27% below U.S. |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$65,273±$9k 19% below U.S. |
$81,300±$7kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,700±$33k 41% below U.S. |
$207,500±$31k 38% below U.S. |
$163,600±$23kLowest 51% below U.S. |
$220,300±$57kHighest 34% below U.S. |
| Monroe and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,116±$112 21% below U.S. |
$1,026±$89 27% below U.S. |
$488±$96Lowest 65% below U.S. |
$1,165±$152Highest 18% below U.S. |
| 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 33% below U.S. |
$5,209Highest 67% above U.S. |
$1,843Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$2,207 29% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.5%±17 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.6%±7.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±47.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Monroe and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 19.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
57.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1992Highest 12 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.8%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brooks and Monroe 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 | — | #61 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — | RSU 42/MSAD 42 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.0 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.