Compare towns
Monroe vs Prospect vs Sumner
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).
Prospect has the most kids (25.2% under 18).
Sumner has the most people working from home (18.5%).
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 | Prospect | Sumner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,001Highest |
923 |
845Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6% ME: +2.6% |
-1.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.5±7Lowest about the ME average |
45.2±7.5 about the ME average |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
| Sumner and Prospect 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% |
25.2%±10.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Prospect and Monroe 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% |
19.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.3% ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±4.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Monroe and Prospect 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 |
$81,250±$17k 9% above ME |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
| Monroe and Prospect 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 |
$196,500±$19k 34% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
| Monroe and Prospect 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 |
$1,107±$61Lowest about the ME average |
— |
| Monroe and Prospect 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 |
$1,979Lowest 35% below ME |
$2,167 29% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±47.8 ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±42Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner 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% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.8% ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992 15 yrs newer than ME |
1998Highest 21 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minLowest 28% above ME |
33 min 34% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.8%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
6.2%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Monroe 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 10 |
| High school in town | None 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.