Compare towns
Burnham vs Solon vs Unity vs Pittsfield
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%).
Solon has the highest household income ($69k).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Pittsfield has the most kids (22.5% under 18).
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 | Solon | Unity | Pittsfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 953Lowest |
963 |
1,858 |
3,930Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.8% ME: +2.6% |
-7.1% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.4±3.2Highest 8% above ME |
45.9±5.4 about the ME average |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
40±6.5 11% 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% |
17.2%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.5%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Pittsfield 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% |
23.9%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±3.6 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% |
25% ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
26.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,261±$18k 21% below ME |
$69,205±$20kHighest 7% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$57,381±$12kLowest 23% 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 | $178,100±$43k 40% below ME |
$183,600±$12k 38% below ME |
$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
$164,100±$17kLowest 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 | $1,308±$386Highest 15% above ME |
$915±$100 20% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$825±$260Lowest 28% 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 |
$1,854Lowest 39% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,965 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.9%±49Highest ME: 48.4% |
14.6%±48.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±21.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Burnham and Pittsfield 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% |
10.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
15.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8% ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
76.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 13% below ME |
52 minHighest 113% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
24 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 17%±10.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
11.6%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Burnham and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | — | #125 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 74/MSAD 74 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 53/MSAD 53 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town |
| 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.