Compare towns
Bingham vs Unity vs Solon vs Addison
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).
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 | Unity | Solon | Addison |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 660Lowest |
1,858Highest |
963 |
1,045 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.1% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.1% ME: +2.6% |
-9.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56±8.2Highest 25% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
45.9±5.4 about the ME average |
54.2±3.9 21% above ME |
| Bingham and Addison 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% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.7%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Solon and Addison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 38.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.6% ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
25%Highest ME: 36.2% |
19.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $42,708±$22kLowest 43% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$69,205±$20kHighest 7% below ME |
$50,524±$8k 32% 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 |
$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
$183,600±$12k 38% below ME |
$163,500±$28k 45% 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 |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$915±$100Highest 20% below ME |
$900±$807 21% below ME |
| Solon and Addison 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 |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,854 39% below ME |
$1,625 46% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±45.9 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
14.6%±48.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
60%±47.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Addison 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% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
10.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
22.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
52 minHighest 113% above ME |
27 min 11% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.1%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
8.9%±4.8 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 | RSU 37/MSAD 37 |
| High school in town | Upper Kennebec Valley Middle/Senior High School | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town | 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.