Compare towns
Monroe vs Mapleton 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
Monroe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.6%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
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 | Mapleton | Brooks | Perry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,001 |
1,884Highest |
1,208 |
744Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-6.3% ME: +2.6% |
-9.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.5±7 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% 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% |
22.2%±5.1 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% |
18.3%±3.1 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% |
34.3%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% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.5Lowest 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$82,056±$4k 10% above ME |
| Mapleton and Perry 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
$196,400±$13k 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 |
$610±$277Lowest 46% 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,096 31% below ME |
$3,132Highest 3% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±47.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
27.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Monroe and Perry 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% 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 |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1990 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 28% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
26 min 6% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.8%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
23.4%±11.9Highest 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 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | Perry Public Schools |
| High school in town | None 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.