Compare towns
Solon vs Patten vs Burnham
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).
Patten has the most affordable homes ($83k median).
Burnham has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Patten | Burnham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 963Highest |
607Lowest |
953 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | -5.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±5.4Lowest about the ME average |
56.1±5.8Highest 25% above ME |
48.4±3.2 8% above ME |
| Patten and Burnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.5%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.8%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Solon and Burnham 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% |
32.9%±5.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.2%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Patten 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% |
30.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Burnham and Patten 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 |
$45,750±$19kLowest 39% below ME |
$59,261±$18k 21% below ME |
| Solon and Burnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $183,600±$12kHighest 38% below ME |
$83,000±$51kLowest 72% below ME |
$178,100±$43k 40% below ME |
| Solon and Burnham 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 |
$389±$99Lowest 66% below ME |
$1,308±$386Highest 15% above ME |
| Burnham and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,854 39% below ME |
$857Lowest 72% below ME |
$1,897Highest 38% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 14.6%±48.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56%±58.6 ME: 48.4% |
60.9%±49Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Burnham and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
28.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1955Lowest 22 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 52 minHighest 113% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
22 minLowest 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 9.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±24.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
17%±10.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Burnham 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.