Compare towns

Orient vs Solon vs Meddybemps

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Orient has the most people working from home (81%).
Solon has the most affordable homes ($184k median).
Meddybemps has the oldest population (median age 63.9).

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.

MeasureOrientSolonMeddybemps
People
Population
137Lowest
963Highest
139
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
-7.1%
ME: +2.6%
—
Median age
62±9
38% above ME
45.9±5.4Lowest
about the ME average
63.9±4.2Highest
43% above ME
Meddybemps and Orient are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
16.8%±18.9
ME: 18.1%
17.2%±4.6Highest
ME: 18.1%
5%±21.5Lowest
ME: 18.1%
Solon and Orient are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
46%±10.2Highest
ME: 22.4%
23.9%±3.6Lowest
ME: 22.4%
39.6%±15.4
ME: 22.4%
Orient and Meddybemps are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
25%Highest
ME: 36.2%
25%Highest
ME: 36.2%
14.2%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
0%±11.4Lowest
ME: 5.8%
1.3%±1.5
ME: 5.8%
5%±10.1Highest
ME: 5.8%
Meddybemps and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian —
$69,205±$20kHighest
7% below ME
$48,000±$13kLowest
36% below ME
Solon and Meddybemps are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$548,600±$183kHighest
85% above ME
$183,600±$12kLowest
38% below ME
$295,000±$73k
about the ME average
Orient and Meddybemps are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly —
$915±$100
20% below ME
—
Property taxmedian, yearly —
$1,854Highest
39% below ME
$1,206Lowest
60% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
100%±100Highest
ME: 48.4%
14.6%±48.8Lowest
ME: 48.4%
100%±100Highest
ME: 48.4%
Below poverty line
35.8%Highest
ME: 10.7%
10.7%
ME: 10.7%
7.2%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
93.7%Highest
ME: 74.3%
88.6%
ME: 74.3%
87.1%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1986Highest
9 yrs newer than ME
1978Lowest
1 yr newer than ME
1982
5 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way —
52 minHighest
113% above ME
31 minLowest
28% above ME
Work from home
81%±44Highest
ME: 15.9%
9.1%±4.7
ME: 15.9%
5.4%±7.8Lowest
ME: 15.9%
Schools
School district — RSU 74/MSAD 74 —
High school in town — None in town —
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.