Compare towns
Windsor vs Solon vs Chelsea
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has the most expensive homes ($229k median).
Solon has the most people working from home (9.1%).
Chelsea has the highest household income ($85k).
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 | Windsor | Solon | Chelsea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,690 |
963Lowest |
2,823Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.5±8 about the ME average |
45.9±5.4Highest about the ME average |
42.2±3.6Lowest 6% below ME |
| Solon and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±6.4 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Chelsea and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±4.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Solon and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21% ME: 36.2% |
25%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Chelsea and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,178±$5kLowest 15% below ME |
$69,205±$20k 7% below ME |
$85,471±$10kHighest 14% above ME |
| Chelsea and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $228,800±$22kHighest 23% below ME |
$183,600±$12k 38% below ME |
$182,300±$37kLowest 39% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,265±$400 11% above ME |
$915±$100Lowest 20% below ME |
$1,373±$90Highest 21% above ME |
| Chelsea and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,160 29% below ME |
$1,854Lowest 39% below ME |
$2,313Highest 24% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.2%±31.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
14.6%±48.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
15%±19.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Windsor and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minLowest 45% above ME |
52 minHighest 113% above ME |
36 min 48% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±3 ME: 15.9% |
9.1%±4.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
6%±3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Solon and Windsor 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 | #44 of 133 in ME | — | #93 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 12 | RSU 74/MSAD 74 | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | None in town | None 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.