Compare towns
Monroe vs Prospect vs Wayne vs Solon
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%).
Prospect has the most kids (25.2% under 18).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Solon has the most affordable homes ($184k median).
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 | Wayne | Solon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,001 |
923Lowest |
1,101Highest |
963 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.6% ME: +2.6% |
-5% ME: +2.6% |
-7.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.5±7Lowest about the ME average |
45.2±7.5 about the ME average |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
45.9±5.4 about the ME average |
| Wayne and Solon 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% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±4.6 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% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne and Solon 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% |
22.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±4.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne 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 |
$81,250±$17k 9% above ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$69,205±$20kLowest 7% below ME |
| Wayne 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±$57k 26% below ME |
$196,500±$19k 34% below ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$183,600±$12kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,165±$152Highest about the ME average |
$1,107±$61 about the ME average |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
$915±$100Lowest 20% below ME |
| Monroe and Prospect 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 |
$1,979 35% below ME |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
$1,854Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±47.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±42 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
14.6%±48.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Monroe and Prospect 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
10.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.8% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992 15 yrs newer than ME |
1998Highest 21 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 28% above ME |
33 min 34% above ME |
30 minLowest 24% above ME |
52 minHighest 113% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.8%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
6.2%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.1%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne 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 38 | RSU 74/MSAD 74 |
| 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.