The Town FilesMonson, Maine
Town in Piscataquis County · population 609 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $178,100
- Household income
- $56,017
- Jan low / Jul high
- 5° / 75°
- Snow a year
- 91 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 47.4
Monson is a town of 609 people in Piscataquis County, Maine. The median home is worth $178,100, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks quieter than 96% of Maine towns, better for first-time buyers than 89% of Maine towns, better for a vacation home than 81% of Maine towns.
How Monson ranks
Percentile among Maine towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Maine towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Monson is worth $178,100, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $56,017, which is more affordable than 60% of Maine towns. 82.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Monson | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $178,100 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | — | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $56,017 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 82.9% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 47.5% | — |
Who lives in Monson
| People | Monson | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.4 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 31.4% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 20.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.0% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.9% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 12.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 19.6% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 30.2 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.0% | 90.0% |
Weather in Monson
July highs average 75.4°F and January lows 5.4°F. About 44.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 90.7 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 171 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Monson since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Maine town. The strongest, unrated, struck on July 1, 1963 about 8.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 1, 1963.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 4 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 18, 2002.
Severe weather in Piscataquis County since 1996
Piscataquis County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, freezing, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 30, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4754: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| September 14, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3598: Hurricane Lee |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4522: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3444: Covid-19 |
| January 2, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4354: Severe Storm And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Piscataquis County
Piscataquis County had 5,230 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,151 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Monson itself the ACS puts it at 3.9%.
Towns near Monson
- Abbot, ME7.2 mi · 650 people · home $171,200
- Guilford, ME9.6 mi · 740 people · home $151,100
- Guilford, ME10.0 mi · 1,267 people · home $170,100
- Greenville, ME11.6 mi · 1,437 people · home $268,500
- Greenville, ME12.3 mi · 1,010 people · home $216,500
- Parkman, ME13.6 mi · 747 people · home $168,900
- Dover-Foxcroft, ME14.9 mi · 2,776 people · home $158,800
- Sangerville, ME15.8 mi · 1,306 people · home $124,000
Monson questions
Is Monson, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Monson scores better for retirees than 68% of Maine towns and quieter than 96%. 31.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.4).
How much does a house cost in Monson?
The median owner-occupied home in Monson is valued at $178,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $56,017, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Monson?
July highs average 75.4°F and January lows 5.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.5 inches of precipitation a year and 90.7 inches of snow.
Does Monson get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Monson since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events). The typical Maine town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)