Compare towns
Searsmont vs Solon vs Monroe
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Searsmont has the most people working from home (16.3%).
Solon has the most affordable homes ($184k 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 | Searsmont | Solon | Monroe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,646Highest |
963Lowest |
1,001 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6% ME: +2.6% |
-7.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.5±9.8 about the ME average |
45.9±5.4Highest about the ME average |
43.5±7Lowest about the ME average |
| Solon and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
23.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Monroe and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Solon and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10%±6.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±4.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Searsmont and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,000±$20kHighest 16% above ME |
$69,205±$20kLowest 7% below ME |
$81,300±$7k 9% above ME |
| Searsmont and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $284,000±$31kHighest 4% below ME |
$183,600±$12kLowest 38% below ME |
$220,300±$57k 26% below ME |
| Searsmont and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $940±$311 17% below ME |
$915±$100Lowest 20% below ME |
$1,165±$152Highest about the ME average |
| Monroe and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,788Highest 8% below ME |
$1,854Lowest 39% below ME |
$2,207 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.4%±41.3 ME: 48.4% |
14.6%±48.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.9%±47.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Monroe and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.7% ME: 10.7% |
11.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
52 minHighest 113% above ME |
32 min 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 16.3%±10.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Searsmont and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 71 | RSU 74/MSAD 74 | 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.