Compare towns
Madison vs Prospect vs Solon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Madison has the most people working from home (19.3%).
Prospect has the most kids (25.2% under 18).
Solon has the most affordable homes ($184k median).
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 | Madison | Prospect | Solon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,782Highest |
923Lowest |
963 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% ME: +2.6% |
-1.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.6±3.4Highest 11% above ME |
45.2±7.5Lowest about the ME average |
45.9±5.4 about the ME average |
| Madison and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.9%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
25.2%±10.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Prospect and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.1%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Madison and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.3% ME: 36.2% |
25%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1 ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Madison and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,747±$11kLowest 17% below ME |
$81,250±$17kHighest 9% above ME |
$69,205±$20k 7% 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 | $187,600±$40k 37% below ME |
$196,500±$19kHighest 34% below ME |
$183,600±$12kLowest 38% below ME |
| Prospect and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $906±$247Lowest 20% below ME |
$1,107±$61Highest about the ME average |
$915±$100 20% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,983Highest 35% below ME |
$1,979 35% below ME |
$1,854Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.9%±11.7 ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±42Highest ME: 48.4% |
14.6%±48.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Prospect and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 13 yrs older than ME |
1998Highest 21 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 9% above ME |
33 min 34% above ME |
52 minHighest 113% above ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±10.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.2%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.1%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Madison and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 59/MSAD 59 | — | RSU 74/MSAD 74 |
| High school in town | Madison Jr/Sr High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0 |
— | — |
| 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.