Compare towns
Prospect vs Patten vs Solon vs Monroe
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Prospect has the most kids (25.2% under 18).
Patten has the most people working from home (28.7%).
Monroe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.6%).
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 | Patten | Solon | Monroe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 923Lowest |
1,154Highest |
963 |
1,001 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.6% ME: +2.6% |
-13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-7.1% ME: +2.6% |
+4.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.2±7.5 about the ME average |
57.8±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
45.9±5.4 about the ME average |
43.5±7Lowest about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 25.2%±10.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
23.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Prospect and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
38.5%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.1% ME: 36.2% |
25% ME: 36.2% |
29.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±1 ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±4.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Monroe 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±$17k 9% above ME |
$51,484±$6kLowest 31% below ME |
$69,205±$20k 7% below ME |
$81,300±$7kHighest 9% above ME |
| Monroe and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,500±$19k 34% below ME |
$127,600±$49kLowest 57% below ME |
$183,600±$12k 38% below ME |
$220,300±$57kHighest 26% below ME |
| Monroe and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,107±$61 about the ME average |
$389±$99Lowest 66% below ME |
$915±$100 20% below ME |
$1,165±$152Highest about the ME average |
| Monroe and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,979 35% below ME |
$1,199Lowest 61% below ME |
$1,854 39% below ME |
$2,207Highest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.3%±42 ME: 48.4% |
56%±64.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
14.6%±48.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.9%±47.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Patten and Monroe 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% |
23.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.7% ME: 10.7% |
11.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1998Highest 21 yrs newer than ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1992 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 34% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
52 minHighest 113% above ME |
32 min 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.1%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | RSU 74/MSAD 74 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.