Compare towns
Monroe vs Sumner 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 the most kids (23.7% 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 | Sumner | Solon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,001Highest |
845Lowest |
963 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6% ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.5±7Lowest about the ME average |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
45.9±5.4 about the ME average |
| Sumner and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Monroe and Sumner 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% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±4.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Monroe and Sumner 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 |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
$69,205±$20k 7% below ME |
| Monroe and Solon 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 |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$183,600±$12k 38% below ME |
| Monroe and Solon 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 |
— | $915±$100Lowest 20% below ME |
| Monroe and Solon 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 |
$2,167 29% below ME |
$1,854Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±47.8 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
14.6%±48.8Lowest 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% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minLowest 28% above ME |
42 min 72% above ME |
52 minHighest 113% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.8%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.1%±4.7Lowest 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 | 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 |
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.