Compare towns
Solon vs Cornish vs Embden vs Madison
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Solon has the highest household income ($69k).
Cornish has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
Embden has the oldest population (median age 60.6).
Madison has the most renters (45.4% rent).
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 | Solon | Cornish | Embden | Madison |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 963Lowest |
1,803 |
995 |
4,782Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.9% ME: +2.6% |
-2.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±5.4 about the ME average |
39±8.5Lowest 13% below ME |
60.6±5.1Highest 35% above ME |
49.6±3.4 11% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
18.2%±3.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.2%±5.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Cornish and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
34.6%±9.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Embden and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
16.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Madison and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,205±$20kHighest 7% below ME |
$69,038±$4k 8% below ME |
$56,875±$23kLowest 24% below ME |
$61,747±$11k 17% below ME |
| Solon and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $183,600±$12k 38% below ME |
$274,200±$84kHighest 8% below ME |
$173,400±$59kLowest 42% below ME |
$187,600±$40k 37% below ME |
| Cornish and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $915±$100 20% below ME |
$1,196±$148Highest 5% above ME |
— | $906±$247Lowest 20% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,854 39% below ME |
$2,309Highest 24% below ME |
$1,804Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,983 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 14.6%±48.8 ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±11.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Cornish and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.7% ME: 10.7% |
6.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.2% ME: 10.7% |
15%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.1% ME: 74.3% |
96.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
54.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1964Lowest 13 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 52 minHighest 113% above ME |
31 min 27% above ME |
33 min 34% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.1%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.7%±7.5 ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±10.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Madison and Embden 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 59/MSAD 59 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — | Madison Jr/Sr High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.0 |
| 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.