Compare towns
Athens vs Embden vs Lee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athens has the most affordable homes ($153k median).
Embden has the most people working from home (18.7%).
Lee has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.7%).
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 | Athens | Embden | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 791Lowest |
995Highest |
925 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.9% ME: +2.6% |
-0.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.7±7.2Lowest 6% above ME |
60.6±5.1Highest 35% above ME |
51.5±11.5 15% above ME |
| Embden and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±5 ME: 18.1% |
13.2%±5.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.8%±4.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Lee and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
34.6%±9.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Embden and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 17.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
16.2% ME: 36.2% |
14.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Lee and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $50,750±$14k 32% below ME |
$56,875±$23kHighest 24% below ME |
$49,886±$5kLowest 33% below ME |
| Embden and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $153,100±$33kLowest 48% below ME |
$173,400±$59k 42% below ME |
$174,500±$25kHighest 41% below ME |
| Lee and Embden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $538±$457 53% below ME |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,355Lowest 55% below ME |
$1,804Highest 41% below ME |
$1,547 49% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±75.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
80%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Athens and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 23.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
12.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
96.3% ME: 74.3% |
97%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 18% above ME |
33 min 34% above ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.1%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.7%±7.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Embden and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Athens Public Schools | — | RSU 30/MSAD 30 |
| 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.