Compare towns
Minot vs Prospect vs Auburn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Minot has the most people working from home (16.8%).
Prospect has the most affordable homes ($197k median).
Auburn has the most renters (40.9% rent).
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 | Minot | Prospect | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,794 |
923Lowest |
24,602Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49±6.1Highest 9% above ME |
45.2±7.5 about the ME average |
41.4±2.7Lowest 8% below ME |
| Minot and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
25.2%±10.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±2.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Prospect and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.3%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.8%±2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Minot and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9% ME: 36.2% |
22.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
27.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.6%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Auburn and Minot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,655±$17kHighest 28% above ME |
$81,250±$17k 9% above ME |
$66,647±$5kLowest 11% below ME |
| Minot and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $294,900±$26kHighest about the ME average |
$196,500±$19kLowest 34% below ME |
$282,000±$12k 5% below ME |
| Minot and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $878±$801Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,107±$61Highest about the ME average |
$1,041±$74 9% below ME |
| Prospect and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,602 14% below ME |
$1,979Lowest 35% below ME |
$3,687Highest 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.7%±40.7 ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±42Lowest ME: 48.4% |
53.4%±7.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Auburn and Minot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
13.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.8% ME: 74.3% |
59.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1994 17 yrs newer than ME |
1998Highest 21 yrs newer than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
33 minHighest 34% above ME |
22 minLowest 12% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.8%±5.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.2%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.5%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Minot and Auburn 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 | #78 of 133 in ME | — | #110 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 16 | — | Auburn Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Edward Little High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.1 |
| 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.