Compare towns
Gray vs Monroe vs Solon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gray has the most expensive homes ($364k median).
Monroe has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
Solon has the most affordable homes ($184k 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 | Gray | Monroe | Solon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
1,001 |
963Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.6% ME: +2.6% |
-7.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
43.5±7 about the ME average |
45.9±5.4Highest about the ME average |
| Solon and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
23.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Monroe and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Solon and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.1% ME: 36.2% |
25%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±4.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$81,300±$7k 9% above ME |
$69,205±$20kLowest 7% below ME |
| Gray and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$220,300±$57k 26% below ME |
$183,600±$12kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,165±$152 about the ME average |
$915±$100Lowest 20% below ME |
| Gray and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$2,207 27% below ME |
$1,854Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.9%±47.8 ME: 48.4% |
14.6%±48.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 16% above ME |
32 min 28% above ME |
52 minHighest 113% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
9.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Gray 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 74/MSAD 74 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
— | — |
| 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.