Compare towns
Palermo vs Chapman vs Monroe
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Palermo has the most people working from home (18.8%).
Chapman has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Monroe has the most renters (12.6% 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 | Palermo | Chapman | Monroe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,473Highest |
388Lowest |
1,001 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | +4.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±6.1Lowest 3% below ME |
45.7±11.4Highest about the ME average |
43.5±7 about the ME average |
| Chapman and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
23.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Chapman and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Chapman and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±4.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Monroe and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,095±$15k 19% above ME |
$93,125±$17kHighest 25% above ME |
$81,300±$7kLowest 9% above ME |
| Chapman and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $259,700±$54kHighest 12% below ME |
$185,700±$22kLowest 37% below ME |
$220,300±$57k 26% below ME |
| Palermo and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,235±$1kHighest 8% above ME |
— | $1,165±$152Lowest about the ME average |
| Palermo and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,506Highest 17% below ME |
$1,850Lowest 39% below ME |
$2,207 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.6%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.9%±47.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Palermo and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
11.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2% ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 24% above ME |
23 minLowest 6% below ME |
32 minHighest 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.8%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Palermo and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 12 | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| 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.