Compare towns
Waldo vs Monroe vs Brooks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waldo has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Monroe has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
Brooks has the most renters (25.4% rent).
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 | Waldo | Monroe | Brooks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 926Lowest |
1,001 |
1,208Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3% ME: +2.6% |
+4.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME |
43.5±7 about the ME average |
45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
| Brooks and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.2%±4.5 ME: 18.1% |
23.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Monroe and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Monroe and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.1% ME: 36.2% |
27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±4.9 ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,458±$21k 4% below ME |
$81,300±$7kHighest 9% above ME |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
| Monroe and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $208,000±$41k 30% below ME |
$220,300±$57kHighest 26% below ME |
$196,700±$33kLowest 34% below ME |
| Monroe and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$691 about the ME average |
$1,165±$152Highest about the ME average |
$1,116±$112Lowest about the ME average |
| Monroe and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,207Highest 27% below ME |
$2,096 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.9%±47.8 ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.3% ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1986Lowest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 20% below ME |
32 minHighest 28% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 15.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Waldo and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Waldo-Region 7 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | 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.