Compare towns
Monroe vs Gorham vs Brooks vs Perry
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Brooks has the most renters (25.4% rent).
Perry has the most people working from home (23.4%).
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 | Gorham | Brooks | Perry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,001 |
18,300Highest |
1,208 |
744Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3% ME: +2.6% |
-9.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.5±7 about the ME average |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
45.5±11.4 about the ME average |
| Brooks and Perry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.1%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Perry and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21%±6.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Monroe and Perry 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% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
31.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±4.9 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5 ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,300±$7k 9% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$82,056±$4k 10% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $220,300±$57k 26% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
$196,400±$13kLowest 34% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,165±$152 about the ME average |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,116±$112Lowest about the ME average |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,207 27% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$2,096Lowest 31% below ME |
$3,132 3% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±47.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
27.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Monroe and Gorham 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% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4% ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.8%Highest 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 |
1990 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 28% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
26 min 6% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.8%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
23.4%±11.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Perry and Gorham 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 | — | #24 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | Perry Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Gorham High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
— | — |
| 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.