Compare towns
Prospect vs Solon vs Starks
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%).
Solon has the most people working from home (9.1%).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
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 | Starks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 923 |
963Highest |
556Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.1% ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.2±7.5Lowest about the ME average |
45.9±5.4 about the ME average |
46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
| Starks and Solon 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%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Prospect and Solon 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%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Solon and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.3% ME: 36.2% |
25%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±1Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Prospect and Solon 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 |
$63,500±$8kLowest 15% 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±$19kHighest 34% below ME |
$183,600±$12k 38% below ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% 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 |
$915±$100Lowest 20% below ME |
$1,063±$301 7% below ME |
| Prospect and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,979Highest 35% below ME |
$1,854 39% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.3%±42 ME: 48.4% |
14.6%±48.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Starks and Prospect 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% |
10.7% ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.8% ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1998Highest 21 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 34% above ME |
52 minHighest 113% above ME |
33 minLowest 33% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.3 ME: 15.9% |
9.1%±4.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Solon and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| 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.