Compare towns
Madison vs Solon vs Windham vs Paris
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%).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Paris has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Windham | Paris |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,782 |
963Lowest |
19,188Highest |
5,317 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% ME: +2.6% |
-7.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.6±3.4Highest 11% above ME |
45.9±5.4 about the ME average |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
48.2±5.6 8% above ME |
| Madison and Paris 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% |
17.2%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.8%±5.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Windham 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% |
23.9%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.6%±5.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Madison and Paris 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% ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
5%±3.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Paris and Madison 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 |
$69,205±$20k 7% below ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$75,137±$20k about the ME average |
| Windham and Paris 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 |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$240,400±$57k 19% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $906±$247Lowest 20% below ME |
$915±$100 20% below ME |
$1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
— |
| Windham and Solon 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 |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$2,649 13% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.9%±11.7 ME: 48.4% |
14.6%±48.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
62.3%±13.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 15%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
60.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 13 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
52 minHighest 113% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
22 minLowest 9% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±10.7 ME: 15.9% |
9.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
19.4%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Paris and Madison 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 | — | — | #95 of 133 in ME | #114 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 59/MSAD 59 | RSU 74/MSAD 74 | RSU 14 | RSU 17/MSAD 17 |
| High school in town | Madison Jr/Sr High School | None in town | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0Lowest |
— | 12.1Highest |
— |
| 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.