Compare towns
Alfred vs Unity vs Sanford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Alfred has the most expensive homes ($342k median).
Unity has the most people working from home (15.8%).
Sanford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+125.2%).
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 | Alfred | Unity | Sanford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,125 |
1,858Lowest |
22,247Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
+125.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±5.3Highest about the ME average |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
42.1±2.8 6% below ME |
| Alfred and Sanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±6.3 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.3%±2.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sanford and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.4%±5.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.8%±2.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Alfred and Sanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
24.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±0.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,321±$18kHighest 10% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$72,524±$7k about the ME average |
| Alfred and Sanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $342,300±$38kHighest 15% above ME |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$280,200±$10k 6% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,035±$432 9% below ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,152±$72Highest about the ME average |
| Sanford and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,543 17% above ME |
$2,510Lowest 17% below ME |
$3,708Highest 22% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 82.2%±29.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±7.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Alfred and Sanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3% ME: 74.3% |
71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
28 minHighest 14% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.8%±2 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Sanford 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 | #74 of 133 in ME | — | #100 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 57/MSAD 57 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | Sanford Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | Sanford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4Lowest |
17.7Highest |
| 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.