Compare towns
Mars Hill vs Solon vs Sullivan
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mars Hill has the most kids (22.9% under 18).
Solon has the highest household income ($69k).
Sullivan has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.4%).
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 | Mars Hill | Solon | Sullivan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,398Highest |
963Lowest |
1,246 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-7.1% ME: +2.6% |
-1.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±3Lowest 3% below ME |
45.9±5.4 about the ME average |
47.1±15Highest 5% above ME |
| Sullivan and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Mars Hill and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
22.5%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Mars Hill and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±3.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Sullivan and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,273±$9k 13% below ME |
$69,205±$20kHighest 7% below ME |
$59,643±$14kLowest 20% below ME |
| Solon and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $163,600±$23kLowest 45% below ME |
$183,600±$12k 38% below ME |
$222,000±$33kHighest 25% below ME |
| Sullivan and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
$915±$100Highest 20% below ME |
$883±$114 22% below ME |
| Solon and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,843Lowest 39% below ME |
$1,854 39% below ME |
$2,228Highest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.6%±7.1 ME: 48.4% |
14.6%±48.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
34.9%±23.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Sullivan and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.7% ME: 10.7% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
52 minHighest 113% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±6.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.1%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
12.6%±7.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Sullivan and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 42/MSAD 42 | RSU 74/MSAD 74 | RSU 24 |
| High school in town | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S | None in town | Sumner Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.0Lowest |
— | 10.5Highest |
| 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.