What stands out worked out from the figures below

Monroe has the highest household income ($157k).

Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Monroe	Webster
People
Population	18,949Highest	12,228Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+6.9% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.5±2.2Highest 12% above U.S.	37.2±2.1Lowest 4% below U.S.
Kids under 18	25.2%±3Highest U.S.: 22%	21.8%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Monroe and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.6%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	15.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Webster and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	57.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	18.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Webster and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$157,250±$12kHighest 95% above U.S.	$63,837±$8kLowest 21% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$503,200±$31kHighest 51% above U.S.	$333,100±$14kLowest about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$994±$860Lowest 30% below U.S.	$1,198±$85Highest 15% below U.S.
	Webster and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.	$3,234Lowest 4% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.8%±46.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%	46.1%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Monroe and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	16%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	45.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S.	1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 29% above U.S.	28 minLowest 4% above U.S.
Work from home	15.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%	7.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#48 of 149 in CT	#271 of 282 in MA
School district	Monroe School District	—
High school in town	Masuk High School	—
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.