Monroe is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States.

Monroe is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.

The town was named for President James Monroe, who was in office at the time of incorporation.

In 1885, however, a railroad line was built between neighboring Readsboro, Vermont, and Holyoke, Massachusetts to haul wood pulp to a paper factory.

Monroe is located on the Hoosac Range, the northern end of The Berkshires.

Monroe’s eastern town boundaries lies along the Deerfield River where Monroe borders the town of Rowe, which enters the state at this point, heading south and eastward towards the Connecticut River.

Of all households 37.2% were made up of individuals, and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 37.5% of families and 21.8% of the population living below the poverty line, including 30.8% of under eighteens and 26.7% of those 65 or older.

Monroe employs the open town meeting form of government, and is led by a board of selectmen.

In the Massachusetts Senate, the town is part of the Berkshire, Hampden, Franklin and Hampshire district, represented by Paul Mark, which includes all of Berkshire County and western portions of Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin Counties.

It is part of the Eighth Massachusetts Governor's Council district, represented by Tara Jacobs.

Students attend the Abbott Memorial School in Florida between pre-kindergarten and eighth grades, and Drury High School in North Adams for ninth through twelfth grades.