Compare towns
Solon vs Gray vs Athens
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1978).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Athens has the most affordable homes ($153k 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 | Solon | Gray | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 963 |
8,429Highest |
791Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±5.4 about the ME average |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
47.7±7.2Highest 6% above ME |
| Athens and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
21.7%±5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Athens and Gray 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% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±2.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Athens and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
17.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,205±$20k 7% below ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$50,750±$14kLowest 32% below ME |
| Gray and Solon 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 |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$153,100±$33kLowest 48% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $915±$100 20% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$538±$457Lowest 53% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,854 39% below ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$1,355Lowest 55% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 14.6%±48.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
100%±75.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Athens and Gray 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% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
23.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 52 minHighest 113% above ME |
29 minLowest 16% above ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.1%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.1%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Gray 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 | — | #10 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 74/MSAD 74 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Athens Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— |
| 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.