Compare towns
Prospect vs Solon vs Bucksport
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).
Solon has the most affordable homes ($184k median).
Bucksport has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.4%).
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 | Prospect | Solon | Bucksport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 923Lowest |
963 |
5,016Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.6% ME: +2.6% |
-7.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.2±7.5 about the ME average |
45.9±5.4Highest about the ME average |
42.7±12.2Lowest 5% below ME |
| 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% |
17.2%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.9%±5.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Prospect and Bucksport 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% |
23.9%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
26.6%±7.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bucksport and Solon 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% |
25% ME: 36.2% |
27.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±1 ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Bucksport 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 |
$69,205±$20k 7% below ME |
$64,720±$21kLowest 13% below ME |
| Prospect and Solon 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 |
$183,600±$12kLowest 38% below ME |
$252,300±$32kHighest 15% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,107±$61Highest about the ME average |
$915±$100 20% below ME |
$882±$92Lowest 23% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,979 35% below ME |
$1,854Lowest 39% below ME |
$2,021Highest 33% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.3%±42 ME: 48.4% |
14.6%±48.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
48.9%±17Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Bucksport and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% ME: 10.7% |
10.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
74.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1998Highest 21 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 34% above ME |
52 minHighest 113% above ME |
28 minLowest 15% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.1%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±5.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Bucksport and Solon 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 | — | — | #68 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 74/MSAD 74 | RSU 25 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Bucksport 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.