Compare towns
Somerville vs Monroe vs Freedom
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Somerville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.5%).
Monroe has the most people working from home (11.8%).
Freedom has the most affordable homes ($191k median).
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 | Somerville | Monroe | Freedom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 837 |
1,001Highest |
670Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.6% ME: +2.6% |
-1.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 33.5±11.3Lowest 25% below ME |
43.5±7Highest about the ME average |
40.1±2.7 10% below ME |
| Monroe and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
23.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4.8Lowest 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+ | 13.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Monroe and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.7% ME: 36.2% |
29.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±4.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Monroe and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,250±$15k 5% below ME |
$81,300±$7kHighest 9% above ME |
$64,861±$12kLowest 13% below ME |
| Monroe and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,100±$41k 26% below ME |
$220,300±$57kHighest 26% below ME |
$190,600±$69kLowest 36% below ME |
| Monroe and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
$1,165±$152Lowest about the ME average |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,505Highest 17% below ME |
$2,207Lowest 27% below ME |
$2,328 23% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.9%±47.8 ME: 48.4% |
21.1%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Somerville and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17%Highest ME: 10.7% |
11.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 9% above ME |
32 min 28% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±4.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Monroe and Freedom 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 | — |
| High school 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.