Compare towns
Palermo vs Monroe vs Somerville
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%).
Monroe has the oldest population (median age 43.5).
Somerville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.5%).
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 | Palermo | Monroe | Somerville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,473Highest |
1,001 |
837Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.6% ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±6.1 3% below ME |
43.5±7Highest about the ME average |
33.5±11.3Lowest 25% below ME |
| Monroe and Palermo 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% |
23.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Somerville and Monroe 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% |
22.6%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.9Lowest 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.1% ME: 36.2% |
25.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±4.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Monroe and Palermo 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 |
$81,300±$7k 9% above ME |
$71,250±$15kLowest 5% below ME |
| Palermo and Monroe 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 |
$220,300±$57k 26% below ME |
$218,100±$41kLowest 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±$1k 8% above ME |
$1,165±$152Lowest about the ME average |
$1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
| Somerville and Palermo 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 |
$2,207Lowest 27% below ME |
$2,505 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.6%±100 ME: 48.4% |
50.9%±47.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Somerville and Palermo 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% |
11.3% ME: 10.7% |
17%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
85.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Lowest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 24% above ME |
32 minHighest 28% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.8%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest 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 | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.