Compare towns
Athens vs Sumner vs Solon
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 shortest commute (29 min average).
Sumner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
Solon has the most expensive homes ($184k median).
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 | Sumner | Solon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 791Lowest |
845 |
963Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6% ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.7±7.2 6% above ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
45.9±5.4Lowest about the ME average |
| Sumner and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±5Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Athens and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.7 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 17.7% ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Athens and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $50,750±$14kLowest 32% below ME |
$57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
$69,205±$20kHighest 7% below ME |
| Solon and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $153,100±$33k 48% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$183,600±$12kHighest 38% below ME |
| Solon and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $538±$457Lowest 53% below ME |
— | $915±$100Highest 20% below ME |
| Solon and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,355Lowest 55% below ME |
$2,167Highest 29% below ME |
$1,854 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±75.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
14.6%±48.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 23.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 18% above ME |
42 min 72% above ME |
52 minHighest 113% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.1%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.1%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Athens Public Schools | RSU 10 | RSU 74/MSAD 74 |
| 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.