Compare towns
Monroe vs Mount Chase vs Patten
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 expensive homes ($220k median).
Mount Chase has the most affordable homes ($116k median).
Patten has the most people working from home (28.7%).
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 | Mount Chase | Patten |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,001 |
280Lowest |
1,154Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.5±7Lowest about the ME average |
49.9±10.9 11% above ME |
57.8±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
| Patten and Mount Chase 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% |
22.1%±10.6 ME: 18.1% |
11.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Monroe and Mount Chase are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±4.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
28.9%±6.3 ME: 22.4% |
38.5%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.1% ME: 36.2% |
32.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±4.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±5.7 ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Monroe and Mount Chase 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 |
$41,711±$7kLowest 44% below ME |
$51,484±$6k 31% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $220,300±$57kHighest 26% below ME |
$115,700±$15kLowest 61% below ME |
$127,600±$49k 57% below ME |
| Monroe and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,165±$152 about the ME average |
$1,281±$1kHighest 12% above ME |
$389±$99Lowest 66% below ME |
| Mount Chase and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,207Highest 27% below ME |
$1,548 49% below ME |
$1,199Lowest 61% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±47.8 ME: 48.4% |
28.6%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56%±64.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Patten and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
30.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
23.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4% ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 28% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.8%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22.2%±12.8 ME: 15.9% |
28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Mount Chase are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| 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.