Compare towns
Industry vs Starks vs Unity vs Monroe
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Industry has the most kids (24.4% under 18).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Monroe has the highest household income ($81k).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Industry | Starks | Unity | Monroe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 988 |
556Lowest |
1,858Highest |
1,001 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -15.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.6±10.7 9% below ME |
46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
43.5±7 about the ME average |
| Starks and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24.4%±6.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Industry and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.3%±6.6 ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Monroe and Industry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
29.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±4.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $63,056±$19k 16% below ME |
$63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$81,300±$7kHighest 9% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $205,600±$31k 31% below ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$220,300±$57kHighest 26% below ME |
| Monroe and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,049±$137 8% below ME |
$1,063±$301 7% below ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,165±$152Highest about the ME average |
| Monroe and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,793 41% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$2,207 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.9%±38.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.9%±47.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Industry and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
11.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86% ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 41 minHighest 67% above ME |
33 min 33% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
32 min 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | — | — | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.4 |
— |
| 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.