Compare towns
Prospect vs Unity 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).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Monroe has the most expensive homes ($220k median).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity | Monroe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 923Lowest |
1,858Highest |
1,001 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.2±7.5Highest about the ME average |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
43.5±7 about the ME average |
| Prospect and Monroe 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% |
14%±3.6Lowest 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% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Monroe and Prospect 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% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±4.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,250±$17k 9% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% 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±$19kLowest 34% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$220,300±$57kHighest 26% below ME |
| Monroe and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,107±$61 about the ME average |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,165±$152Highest about the ME average |
| Monroe and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,979Lowest 35% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$2,207 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.3%±42Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
50.9%±47.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Monroe and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
11.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1998Highest 21 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1992 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 34% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
32 min 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | — | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4 |
— |
| 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.