Compare towns
Madison vs Solon vs Unity
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 renters (45.4% rent).
Solon has the most homeowners (88.6%).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
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 | Madison | Solon | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,782Highest |
963Lowest |
1,858 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% ME: +2.6% |
-7.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.6±3.4Highest 11% above ME |
45.9±5.4 about the ME average |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
| 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%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Solon and Madison 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% |
23.9%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest 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% |
25%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,747±$11kLowest 17% below ME |
$69,205±$20kHighest 7% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% 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 | $187,600±$40k 37% below ME |
$183,600±$12kLowest 38% below ME |
$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
| Unity and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $906±$247 20% below ME |
$915±$100Highest 20% below ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
| Solon and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,983 35% below ME |
$1,854Lowest 39% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.9%±11.7 ME: 48.4% |
14.6%±48.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15% ME: 10.7% |
10.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 13 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
52 minHighest 113% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±10.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Madison and Unity 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 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center |
| High school in town | Madison Jr/Sr High School | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0Lowest |
— | 12.4Highest |
| 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.