Compare towns
Solon vs Patten vs Madison vs Prospect
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Patten has the most people working from home (28.7%).
Madison has the most renters (45.4% rent).
Prospect has the most kids (25.2% under 18).
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 | Madison | Prospect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 963 |
1,154 |
4,782Highest |
923Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.1% ME: +2.6% |
-13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2.7% ME: +2.6% |
-1.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±5.4 about the ME average |
57.8±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
49.6±3.4 11% above ME |
45.2±7.5Lowest about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
11.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
25.2%±10.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Prospect 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% |
38.5%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
19.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25% ME: 36.2% |
25.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1 ME: 5.8% |
| Madison and Prospect 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 |
$51,484±$6kLowest 31% below ME |
$61,747±$11k 17% below ME |
$81,250±$17kHighest 9% above ME |
| Prospect 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 |
$127,600±$49kLowest 57% below ME |
$187,600±$40k 37% below ME |
$196,500±$19kHighest 34% below ME |
| Prospect 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 |
$389±$99Lowest 66% below ME |
$906±$247 20% below ME |
$1,107±$61Highest about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,854 39% below ME |
$1,199Lowest 61% below ME |
$1,983Highest 35% below ME |
$1,979 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 14.6%±48.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56%±64.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±11.7 ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±42 ME: 48.4% |
| Patten 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% |
23.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
15% ME: 10.7% |
7.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.5% ME: 74.3% |
54.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1966 11 yrs older than ME |
1964Lowest 13 yrs older than ME |
1998Highest 21 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 52 minHighest 113% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
33 min 34% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.1%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±10.7 ME: 15.9% |
6.2%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Madison 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.