Compare towns

Prospect vs Temple vs Searsport

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 highest household income ($81k).
Temple has the most kids (32.8% under 18).
Searsport has the most people working from home (20.2%).

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.

MeasureProspectTempleSearsport
People
Population
923
824Lowest
2,655Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-1.6%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
-0.2%
ME: +2.6%
+1.3%Highest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
45.2±7.5Highest
about the ME average
34±14Lowest
24% below ME
42.9±7.2
4% below ME
Prospect and Searsport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
25.2%±10.7
ME: 18.1%
32.8%±7.2Highest
ME: 18.1%
15.8%±5.7Lowest
ME: 18.1%
Temple and Prospect 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%
15%±6.3Lowest
ME: 22.4%
23.7%±7.1Highest
ME: 22.4%
Searsport 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%
ME: 36.2%
13.2%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
23.2%Highest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
1.6%±1Lowest
ME: 5.8%
2.5%±2.1
ME: 5.8%
4.4%±3.5Highest
ME: 5.8%
Searsport and Temple 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
$56,087±$2kLowest
25% below ME
$64,303±$19k
14% below ME
Prospect and Searsport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$196,500±$19kLowest
34% below ME
$210,200±$79k
29% below ME
$224,400±$78kHighest
24% below ME
Searsport and Temple 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
$1,458±$565Highest
28% above ME
$1,105±$87Lowest
about the ME average
Temple and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$1,979Lowest
35% below ME
$2,367Highest
22% below ME
$2,225
27% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
31.3%±42Lowest
ME: 48.4%
73.3%±70.5Highest
ME: 48.4%
48.2%±25.4
ME: 48.4%
Temple and Searsport 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%
10.2%
ME: 10.7%
14.6%Highest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
88.8%
ME: 74.3%
92.7%Highest
ME: 74.3%
69.4%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1998Highest
21 yrs newer than ME
1966Lowest
11 yrs older than ME
1975
2 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
33 min
34% above ME
34 minHighest
37% above ME
22 minLowest
13% below ME
Work from home
6.2%±3.3Lowest
ME: 15.9%
7.5%±8.4
ME: 15.9%
20.2%±9.4Highest
ME: 15.9%
Searsport and Temple 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 — — #109 of 133 in ME
School district — — RSU 20
High school in town — — Searsport District High School
Students per teacherat that high school — —
8.2
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.