Compare towns
Burnham vs Mapleton vs Solon vs Unity
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Burnham has the most people working from home (17%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Solon has the most homeowners (88.6%).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
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 | Burnham | Mapleton | Solon | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 953Lowest |
1,884Highest |
963 |
1,858 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.8% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.4±3.2Highest 8% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
45.9±5.4 about the ME average |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
| Burnham and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.8%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.2%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Solon and Burnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25% ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,261±$18kLowest 21% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$69,205±$20k 7% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
| Mapleton and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $178,100±$43kLowest 40% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$183,600±$12k 38% below ME |
$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
| Unity and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,308±$386Highest 15% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$915±$100 20% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
| Burnham and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,897 38% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,854 39% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.9%±49Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
14.6%±48.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
| Burnham and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.6% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.7% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 13% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
52 minHighest 113% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 17%±10.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
9.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Burnham and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 74/MSAD 74 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.4 |
| 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.