Compare towns
Solon vs Somerville vs Unity 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).
Somerville has the most kids (28.8% under 18).
Unity has the most people working from home (15.8%).
Athens has the most affordable homes ($153k median).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Somerville | Unity | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 963 |
837 |
1,858Highest |
791Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
-6.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±5.4 about the ME average |
33.5±11.3 25% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% 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%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.7%±5 ME: 18.1% |
| Somerville and Athens 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% |
13.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest 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% |
25.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
17.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,205±$20k 7% below ME |
$71,250±$15kHighest 5% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$50,750±$14kLowest 32% below ME |
| Somerville 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 |
$218,100±$41kHighest 26% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$153,100±$33kLowest 48% below ME |
| Somerville and Unity 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 |
$1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$538±$457Lowest 53% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,854 39% below ME |
$2,505 17% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,355Lowest 55% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 14.6%±48.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
100%±75.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Athens and Somerville 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% |
17% ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
23.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6% ME: 74.3% |
85.8% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 52 minHighest 113% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.1%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.1%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Solon 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 12 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | Athens Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.4 |
— |
| 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.