Compare towns
Prospect vs Cornish vs Sumner vs Monroe
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Prospect has the most kids (25.2% under 18).
Cornish has the youngest population (median age 39.2).
Sumner has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Monroe has the shortest commute (32 min average).
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 | Prospect | Cornish | Sumner | Monroe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 923 |
1,024Highest |
845Lowest |
1,001 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | +5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.2±7.5 about the ME average |
39.2±13.3Lowest 13% below ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
43.5±7 about the ME average |
| Sumner and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25.2%±10.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
10.5%±5.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
23.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Prospect and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±1.7 ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±6.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.3% ME: 36.2% |
16.1% ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±1 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±4.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Monroe and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,250±$17k 9% above ME |
$68,686±$2k 8% below ME |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
$81,300±$7kHighest 9% above ME |
| Monroe and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,500±$19k 34% below ME |
— | $150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$220,300±$57kHighest 26% below ME |
| Monroe and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,107±$61Lowest about the ME average |
$1,135±$141 about the ME average |
— | $1,165±$152Highest about the ME average |
| Monroe and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,979 35% below ME |
$1,925Lowest 37% below ME |
$2,167 29% below ME |
$2,207Highest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.3%±42 ME: 48.4% |
31%±22.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.9%±47.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% ME: 10.7% |
8.3% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.8% ME: 74.3% |
79.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1998Highest 21 yrs newer than ME |
1958Lowest 19 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1992 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 34% above ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
32 minLowest 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
7.4%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | RSU 10 | 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 | 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.