Compare towns
Brooks vs Prospect vs Solon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brooks has the most people working from home (14.5%).
Prospect has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.6%).
Solon has the most affordable 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 | Brooks | Prospect | Solon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208Highest |
923Lowest |
963 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3% ME: +2.6% |
-1.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
45.2±7.5Lowest about the ME average |
45.9±5.4Highest about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
25.2%±10.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Prospect and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.8%±1.7 ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Solon and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1 ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$81,250±$17kHighest 9% above ME |
$69,205±$20k 7% below ME |
| Prospect and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,700±$33kHighest 34% below ME |
$196,500±$19k 34% below ME |
$183,600±$12kLowest 38% below ME |
| Brooks and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,116±$112Highest about the ME average |
$1,107±$61 about the ME average |
$915±$100Lowest 20% below ME |
| Brooks and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,096Highest 31% below ME |
$1,979 35% below ME |
$1,854Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±42Highest ME: 48.4% |
14.6%±48.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Prospect and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1998Highest 21 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
33 min 34% above ME |
52 minHighest 113% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.2%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.1%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Brooks and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — | RSU 74/MSAD 74 |
| 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.