Compare towns
Burnham vs Patten vs Solon
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 shortest commute (22 min average).
Patten has the most people working from home (28.7%).
Solon has the highest household income ($69k).
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 | Patten | Solon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 953Lowest |
1,154Highest |
963 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-7.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.4±3.2 8% above ME |
57.8±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
45.9±5.4Lowest about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 16.8%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
11.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Solon and Burnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.2%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
38.5%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Burnham and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,261±$18k 21% below ME |
$51,484±$6kLowest 31% below ME |
$69,205±$20kHighest 7% below ME |
| Solon and Burnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $178,100±$43k 40% below ME |
$127,600±$49kLowest 57% below ME |
$183,600±$12kHighest 38% below ME |
| Solon and Burnham 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 |
$389±$99Lowest 66% below ME |
$915±$100 20% 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 | $1,897Highest 38% below ME |
$1,199Lowest 61% below ME |
$1,854 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.9%±49Highest ME: 48.4% |
56%±64.1 ME: 48.4% |
14.6%±48.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Burnham and Patten 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% |
23.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8% ME: 74.3% |
82.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 13% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
52 minHighest 113% above ME |
| Work from home | 17%±10.9 ME: 15.9% |
28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Burnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | — | RSU 74/MSAD 74 |
| High school 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.