Compare towns
Bingham vs Palmyra vs Unity vs Solon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bingham has the most affordable homes ($103k median).
Palmyra has the most kids (29.2% under 18).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Solon has the highest household income ($69k).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Bingham | Palmyra | Unity | Solon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 660Lowest |
2,209Highest |
1,858 |
963 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.1% ME: +2.6% |
-3.1% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56±8.2Highest 25% above ME |
37.1±4.8 17% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
45.9±5.4 about the ME average |
| Bingham and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±6.8 ME: 18.1% |
29.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 38.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.7%±5.3 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.6% ME: 36.2% |
13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
25%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $42,708±$22kLowest 43% below ME |
$60,543±$17k 19% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$69,205±$20kHighest 7% below ME |
| Solon and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $103,000±$26kLowest 65% below ME |
$154,900±$34k 48% below ME |
$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
$183,600±$12k 38% below ME |
| Unity and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $354±$264Lowest 69% below ME |
$733±$119 36% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$915±$100Highest 20% below ME |
| Solon and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,059Lowest 65% below ME |
$1,614 47% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,854 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±45.9 ME: 48.4% |
47.2%±14.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
14.6%±48.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Palmyra and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.1% ME: 10.7% |
9.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
52 minHighest 113% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±6 ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.1%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 83/MSAD 13 | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 74/MSAD 74 |
| High school in town | Upper Kennebec Valley Middle/Senior High School | — | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.3Lowest |
— | 12.4Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.