What stands out worked out from the figures below

Monroe has the most homeowners (88.6%).

Whiting has the most people working from home (10%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Monroe	Whiting
People
Population	786Highest	532Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.6% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	51±10.4Highest 31% above U.S.	39.6±2.7Lowest about the U.S. average
	Monroe and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.9%±7.6Lowest U.S.: 22%	23.5%±6.9Highest U.S.: 22%
	Whiting and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	30.3%±8.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%	13%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	25.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	25.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.2%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Whiting and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$88,150±$7kLowest 9% above U.S.	$91,250±$38kHighest 13% above U.S.
	Whiting and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$312,700±$58kHighest 6% below U.S.	$280,400±$36kLowest 16% below U.S.
	Monroe and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,104±$218Lowest 22% below U.S.	$1,204±$519Highest 15% below U.S.
	Whiting and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,661Lowest 15% below U.S.	$4,227Highest 36% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48%±39Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	58.3%±37.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Whiting and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	88.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	65.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S.	1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest 4% above U.S.	22 minLowest 17% below U.S.
Work from home	3.2%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	10%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Whiting and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Monroe School District	Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.