Compare towns
Liberty vs Solon vs Palermo
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Liberty has the most kids (19.4% under 18).
Solon has the most affordable homes ($184k median).
Palermo has the most people working from home (18.8%).
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 | Liberty | Solon | Palermo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 969 |
963Lowest |
1,473Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.5±6.8Lowest 10% below ME |
45.9±5.4Highest about the ME average |
43.4±6.1 3% below ME |
| Solon and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Liberty and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±2.8 ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.2%±2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Solon and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
31.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Palermo and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,146±$15k 5% below ME |
$69,205±$20kLowest 7% below ME |
$89,095±$15kHighest 19% above ME |
| Palermo and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $229,600±$31k 23% below ME |
$183,600±$12kLowest 38% below ME |
$259,700±$54kHighest 12% below ME |
| Palermo and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $559±$193Lowest 51% below ME |
$915±$100 20% below ME |
$1,235±$1kHighest 8% above ME |
| Palermo and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,434 20% below ME |
$1,854Lowest 39% below ME |
$2,506Highest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.5%±42.4 ME: 48.4% |
14.6%±48.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.6%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Palermo and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.7% ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 min 56% above ME |
52 minHighest 113% above ME |
31 minLowest 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.4%±8.8 ME: 15.9% |
9.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.8%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Palermo and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 74/MSAD 74 | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | None in town | None 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.