Compare towns
Monroe vs Jay vs Solon 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%).
Jay has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Solon has the most homeowners (88.6%).
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 | Jay | Solon | Brooks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,001 |
4,657Highest |
963Lowest |
1,208 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8% ME: +2.6% |
-7.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.5±7 about the ME average |
39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
45.9±5.4Highest about the ME average |
45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 23.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Monroe and Jay 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%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest 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% |
29.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±4.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest 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 |
$70,238±$19k 6% below ME |
$69,205±$20k 7% below ME |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
| Monroe and Jay 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 |
$168,600±$27kLowest 43% below ME |
$183,600±$12k 38% 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 |
$759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$915±$100 20% 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 |
$2,245Highest 26% below ME |
$1,854Lowest 39% below ME |
$2,096 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±47.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
14.6%±48.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Monroe and Jay 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% |
9.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.7% ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4% ME: 74.3% |
82.7% ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 28% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
52 minHighest 113% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.8%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.1%±4.7 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 | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #86 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 73 | RSU 74/MSAD 74 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | None in town | Spruce Mountain High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
— | — |
| 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.