Compare towns
Monroe vs Windham vs Brooks
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).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Brooks has the most renters (25.4% rent).
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 | Windham | Brooks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,001Lowest |
19,188Highest |
1,208 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.5±7 about the ME average |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
| Brooks and Monroe 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% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2Lowest 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% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Monroe and Brooks 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% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±4.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks 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 |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $220,300±$57k 26% below ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$196,700±$33kLowest 34% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,165±$152 about the ME average |
$1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
$1,116±$112Lowest about the ME average |
| Windham and Monroe 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 |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$2,096Lowest 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±47.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Monroe and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 28% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.8%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Windham and Brooks 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 14 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | None in town |
| 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.