Compare towns
Monroe vs Appleton vs Brooks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Monroe has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Brooks has the most people working from home (14.5%).
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 | Monroe | Appleton | Brooks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,001Lowest |
1,360Highest |
1,208 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.5±7Lowest about the ME average |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Monroe and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.1% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±4.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest 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 | $81,300±$7kHighest 9% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$59,130±$10k 21% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $220,300±$57k 26% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$196,700±$33kLowest 34% below ME |
| Appleton and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,165±$152Highest about the ME average |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,116±$112 about the ME average |
| Monroe and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,207 27% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,096Lowest 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±47.8 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.3% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1986Lowest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 28% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.8%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Brooks 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 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | None 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.