Compare towns
Solon vs Jay vs Burnham vs Prospect
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).
Jay has the youngest population (median age 39.5).
Burnham has the most people working from home (17%).
Prospect has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.6%).
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 | Jay | Burnham | Prospect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 963 |
4,657Highest |
953 |
923Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8% ME: +2.6% |
-5.8% ME: +2.6% |
-1.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±5.4 about the ME average |
39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
48.4±3.2Highest 8% above ME |
45.2±7.5 about the ME average |
| Burnham and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
16.8%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
25.2%±10.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Prospect and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.2%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
19.8%±1.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Solon and Burnham 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% |
29.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1 ME: 5.8% |
| Jay and Burnham 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 |
$70,238±$19k 6% below ME |
$59,261±$18kLowest 21% below ME |
$81,250±$17kHighest 9% above ME |
| Prospect and Jay 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 |
$168,600±$27kLowest 43% below ME |
$178,100±$43k 40% below ME |
$196,500±$19kHighest 34% 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 | $915±$100 20% below ME |
$759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$1,308±$386Highest 15% above ME |
$1,107±$61 about the ME average |
| Burnham and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,854Lowest 39% below ME |
$2,245Highest 26% below ME |
$1,897 38% below ME |
$1,979 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 14.6%±48.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
60.9%±49Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±42 ME: 48.4% |
| Burnham and Prospect 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% |
9.8% ME: 10.7% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.8% ME: 74.3% |
88.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1998Highest 21 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 52 minHighest 113% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
22 min 13% below ME |
33 min 34% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.1%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17%±10.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.2%±3.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Burnham 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 | — | #86 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 74/MSAD 74 | RSU 73 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Spruce Mountain High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
— | — |
| 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.