Compare towns
Palermo vs Cushing 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 highest household income ($89k).
Cushing has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
Monroe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.6%).
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 | Cushing | Monroe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,473Highest |
1,460 |
1,001Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% ME: +2.6% |
-2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±6.1Lowest 3% below ME |
48.8±7.7Highest 9% above ME |
43.5±7 about the ME average |
| Cushing and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.1%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Monroe and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±2 ME: 22.4% |
20.5%±0.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Monroe and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.7% ME: 36.2% |
38.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±4.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Monroe and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,095±$15kHighest 19% above ME |
$83,500±$19k 12% above ME |
$81,300±$7kLowest 9% above ME |
| Palermo and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $259,700±$54k 12% below ME |
$409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
$220,300±$57kLowest 26% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,235±$1k 8% above ME |
$1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$1,165±$152Lowest about the ME average |
| Cushing and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,506 17% below ME |
$3,944Highest 30% above ME |
$2,207Lowest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.6%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6Lowest 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% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
11.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Lowest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1990 13 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 24% above ME |
23 minLowest 5% below ME |
32 minHighest 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.8%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3 ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Palermo and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 12 | RSU 13 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| 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.