Compare towns
Monroe vs Exeter 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.6%).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($167k median).
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 | Exeter | Brooks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,001Lowest |
1,093 |
1,208Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.5±7Lowest about the ME average |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
| Exeter 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% |
9%±3.1Lowest 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% |
23.9%±11.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Exeter 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±4.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1Lowest 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±$7k 9% above ME |
$84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
| Exeter and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $220,300±$57kHighest 26% below ME |
$166,700±$39kLowest 44% below ME |
$196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
| Monroe and Brooks 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 |
$995±$386Lowest 13% 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 | $2,207Highest 27% below ME |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,096 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±47.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Monroe and Exeter 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% |
8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4% ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1986Lowest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 28% above ME |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.8%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7Lowest 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 | — | 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.