Compare towns
Starks vs Monroe vs Bridgewater
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
Monroe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.6%).
Bridgewater has the shortest commute (22 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 | Starks | Monroe | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 556 |
1,001Highest |
484Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3% ME: +2.6% |
+4.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
43.5±7Lowest about the ME average |
48.8±8Highest 9% above ME |
| Bridgewater and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Monroe and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
27.5%±2.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bridgewater and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21% ME: 36.2% |
29.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
18.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±4.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Monroe and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,500±$8kLowest 15% below ME |
$81,300±$7kHighest 9% above ME |
$65,417±$15k 12% below ME |
| Monroe and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$220,300±$57kHighest 26% below ME |
$154,900±$78k 48% below ME |
| Monroe and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$301 7% below ME |
$1,165±$152Highest about the ME average |
$768±$116Lowest 33% below ME |
| Monroe and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$2,207Highest 27% below ME |
$1,417 53% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
50.9%±47.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
38.9%±59.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Monroe and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
11.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 33% above ME |
32 min 28% above ME |
22 minLowest 10% below ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±4.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±5.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Monroe and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — |
| High school 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.