Compare towns
Monroe vs Gray vs Solon
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).
Gray has the most expensive homes ($364k median).
Solon has the most affordable homes ($184k 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 | Monroe | Gray | Solon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,001 |
8,429Highest |
963Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.5±7 about the ME average |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
45.9±5.4Highest about the ME average |
| Solon and Monroe 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% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Monroe and Gray 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% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Solon 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% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±4.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray 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 |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$69,205±$20kLowest 7% below ME |
| Gray 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±$57k 26% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$183,600±$12kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,165±$152 about the ME average |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$915±$100Lowest 20% below ME |
| Gray and Monroe 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 |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$1,854Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±47.8 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
14.6%±48.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 28% above ME |
29 minLowest 16% above ME |
52 minHighest 113% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.8%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Gray and Monroe 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 | — | #10 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 74/MSAD 74 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— |
| 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.