Compare towns
Prospect vs Jay vs Solon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Prospect has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.6%).
Jay has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Solon has the most people working from home (9.1%).
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 | Prospect | Jay | Solon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 923Lowest |
4,657Highest |
963 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8% ME: +2.6% |
-7.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.2±7.5 about the ME average |
39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
45.9±5.4Highest about the ME average |
| Solon and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25.2%±10.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Prospect and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±1.7 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Solon and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±1 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Jay and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,250±$17kHighest 9% above ME |
$70,238±$19k 6% below ME |
$69,205±$20kLowest 7% below ME |
| Prospect and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,500±$19kHighest 34% below ME |
$168,600±$27kLowest 43% below ME |
$183,600±$12k 38% below ME |
| Prospect and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,107±$61Highest about the ME average |
$759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$915±$100 20% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,979 35% below ME |
$2,245Highest 26% below ME |
$1,854Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.3%±42Highest ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
14.6%±48.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Prospect and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.8% ME: 10.7% |
10.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1998Highest 21 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 34% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
52 minHighest 113% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.3 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.1%±4.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Solon and Prospect 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 | — | #86 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 73 | RSU 74/MSAD 74 |
| High school in town | — | Spruce Mountain High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
— |
| 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.