Compare towns
Monroe vs Lagrange vs Perry 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%).
Lagrange has the most affordable homes ($126k median).
Perry has the most people working from home (23.4%).
Brooks has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Lagrange | Perry | Brooks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,001 |
709Lowest |
744 |
1,208Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-9.8% ME: +2.6% |
-6.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.5±7Lowest about the ME average |
45.9±13.8Highest about the ME average |
45.5±11.4 about the ME average |
45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 23.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
24.7%±11.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
24.1%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Lagrange and Perry 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% |
18.2%±6.9 ME: 22.4% |
21%±6.2 ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest 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% |
9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
31.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±4.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.5 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 |
$58,417±$14kLowest 22% below ME |
$82,056±$4kHighest 10% above ME |
$59,130±$10k 21% below ME |
| Perry 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 |
$126,000±$33kLowest 58% below ME |
$196,400±$13k 34% 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 |
$831±$151Lowest 27% 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 |
$869Lowest 71% below ME |
$3,132Highest 3% above ME |
$2,096 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±47.8 ME: 48.4% |
66.7%±56.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
27.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Lagrange 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% |
18.4% ME: 10.7% |
4.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4% ME: 74.3% |
72.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1990 13 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 28% above ME |
36 minHighest 45% above ME |
26 min 6% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.8%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
8.1%±4.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
23.4%±11.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Perry and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — | Perry 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 | 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.