Compare towns
Embden vs Patten vs Solon vs Sumner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Embden has the most homeowners (96.3%).
Patten has the most people working from home (28.7%).
Solon has the highest household income ($69k).
Sumner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
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 | Embden | Patten | Solon | Sumner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 995 |
1,154Highest |
963 |
845Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9% ME: +2.6% |
-13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-7.1% ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 60.6±5.1Highest 35% above ME |
57.8±3.5 29% above ME |
45.9±5.4Lowest about the ME average |
56.1±8.4 25% above ME |
| Embden and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.2%±5.5 ME: 18.1% |
11.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 34.6%±9.5 ME: 22.4% |
38.5%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Patten and Embden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.2% ME: 36.2% |
25.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25% ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Sumner and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,875±$23k 24% below ME |
$51,484±$6kLowest 31% below ME |
$69,205±$20kHighest 7% below ME |
$57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
| Solon and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $173,400±$59k 42% below ME |
$127,600±$49kLowest 57% below ME |
$183,600±$12kHighest 38% below ME |
$150,000±$73k 49% below ME |
| Solon and Embden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $389±$99Lowest 66% below ME |
$915±$100Highest 20% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,804 41% below ME |
$1,199Lowest 61% below ME |
$1,854 39% below ME |
$2,167Highest 29% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56%±64.1 ME: 48.4% |
14.6%±48.8 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.2% ME: 10.7% |
23.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.7% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 34% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
52 minHighest 113% above ME |
42 min 72% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.7%±7.5 ME: 15.9% |
28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8 ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Embden 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 10 |
| 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.