Compare towns
Sullivan vs Wayne vs Solon vs Franklin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sullivan has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Solon has the most affordable homes ($184k median).
Franklin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
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 | Sullivan | Wayne | Solon | Franklin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,246 |
1,101 |
963Lowest |
1,628Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4% ME: +2.6% |
-5% ME: +2.6% |
-7.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.1±15 5% above ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
45.9±5.4Lowest about the ME average |
46±9.3 about the ME average |
| Wayne and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Sullivan and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.5%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
25.6%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
28.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,643±$14kLowest 20% below ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$69,205±$20k 7% below ME |
$65,455±$16k 12% below ME |
| Wayne and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $222,000±$33k 25% below ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$183,600±$12kLowest 38% below ME |
$245,800±$59k 17% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $883±$114Lowest 22% below ME |
$983±$554Highest 14% below ME |
$915±$100 20% below ME |
$888±$306 22% below ME |
| Wayne and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,228 27% below ME |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
$1,854Lowest 39% below ME |
$2,231 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.9%±23.6 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
14.6%±48.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
36.7%±27.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Franklin and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.6% ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.7% ME: 10.7% |
15.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
76.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 7% above ME |
30 min 24% above ME |
52 minHighest 113% above ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.6%±7.9 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.2%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 24 | RSU 38 | RSU 74/MSAD 74 | — |
| High school in town | Sumner Memorial High School | None in town | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.5 |
— | — | — |
| 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.