Compare towns
Mercer vs Sidney vs Monroe
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mercer has the most people working from home (20.5%).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Monroe has the most affordable homes ($220k 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 | Mercer | Sidney | Monroe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 718Lowest |
4,790Highest |
1,001 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
43±5.5Lowest 4% below ME |
43.5±7Highest about the ME average |
| Monroe and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±6.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
23.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Monroe and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.9%±5.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Mercer and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
29.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±4.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Monroe and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,107±$2kLowest 5% below ME |
$83,488±$10kHighest 12% above ME |
$81,300±$7k 9% above ME |
| Sidney and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,500±$32k 20% below ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$220,300±$57kLowest 26% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$249Highest 25% above ME |
$1,340±$304 18% above ME |
$1,165±$152Lowest about the ME average |
| Mercer and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,970Lowest 35% below ME |
$2,474Highest 19% below ME |
$2,207 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18.5%±74 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.9%±47.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Monroe and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Lowest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1992 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
32 minHighest 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.5%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mercer and Sidney 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 | — | #15 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 18 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.