Compare towns
Monroe vs Palermo vs Windham
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).
Palermo has the most homeowners (91.2%).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
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 | Palermo | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,001Lowest |
1,473 |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6% ME: +2.6% |
+2.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.5±7Highest about the ME average |
43.4±6.1 3% below ME |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
| Monroe and Palermo 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% |
18.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Monroe and Windham 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% |
21.2%±2 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Monroe and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
31.7% ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±4.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Monroe and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,300±$7kLowest 9% above ME |
$89,095±$15k 19% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
| Windham and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $220,300±$57kLowest 26% below ME |
$259,700±$54k 12% below ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,165±$152Lowest about the ME average |
$1,235±$1kHighest 8% above ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
| Palermo and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,207Lowest 27% below ME |
$2,506 17% below ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±47.8 ME: 48.4% |
65.6%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Palermo 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% |
4.8% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4% ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 28% above ME |
31 min 24% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.8%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.8%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Windham and Palermo 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 | — | — | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 12 | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1 |
| 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.