Compare towns
Burnham vs Prospect vs Solon vs Phillips
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).
Prospect has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.6%).
Phillips has the most renters (16.7% rent).
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 | Prospect | Solon | Phillips |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 953 |
923Lowest |
963 |
1,094Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.8% ME: +2.6% |
-1.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.1% ME: +2.6% |
-12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.4±3.2 8% above ME |
45.2±7.5Lowest about the ME average |
45.9±5.4 about the ME average |
49.7±3.7Highest 11% above ME |
| Phillips and Burnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.8%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
25.2%±10.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Prospect and Phillips 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% |
19.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.3%±2.1 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% ME: 36.2% |
22.3% ME: 36.2% |
25%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1 ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Phillips and Burnham 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 |
$81,250±$17kHighest 9% above ME |
$69,205±$20k 7% below ME |
$45,385±$12kLowest 39% 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 | $178,100±$43kLowest 40% below ME |
$196,500±$19kHighest 34% below ME |
$183,600±$12k 38% below ME |
$190,800±$18k 36% below ME |
| Prospect and Phillips 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 |
$1,107±$61 about the ME average |
$915±$100 20% below ME |
$483±$377Lowest 58% below ME |
| Burnham and Prospect 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 |
$1,979 35% below ME |
$1,854Lowest 39% below ME |
$2,582Highest 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.9%±49Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±42 ME: 48.4% |
14.6%±48.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.4%±33 ME: 48.4% |
| Burnham and Phillips 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% |
7.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.7% ME: 10.7% |
17.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8% ME: 74.3% |
88.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
83.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1998Highest 21 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 13% below ME |
33 min 34% above ME |
52 minHighest 113% above ME |
23 min 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 17%±10.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.2%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.1%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
16.8%±7 ME: 15.9% |
| Burnham and Phillips are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | RSU 74/MSAD 74 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.