Compare towns
Mapleton vs Monroe vs Brooks vs Union
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Monroe has the most homeowners (87.4%).
Brooks has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Union has the most expensive homes ($268k 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 | Mapleton | Monroe | Brooks | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
1,001Lowest |
1,208 |
2,663Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+4.6% ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
43.5±7 about the ME average |
45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Brooks and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
23.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Monroe and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% ME: 36.2% |
29.1% ME: 36.2% |
27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±4.9 ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest 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 | $91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$81,300±$7k 9% above ME |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
| Mapleton and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$220,300±$57k 26% below ME |
$196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
| Union and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,165±$152 about the ME average |
$1,116±$112 about the ME average |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
| Union and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,207 27% below ME |
$2,096 31% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.9%±47.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Monroe and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.3% ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
32 minHighest 28% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.