Compare towns
Athens vs Union vs Unity vs Burnham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athens has the most affordable homes ($153k median).
Union has the most expensive homes ($268k median).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Burnham has the most people working from home (17%).
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 | Athens | Union | Unity | Burnham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 791Lowest |
2,663Highest |
1,858 |
953 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.7±7.2 6% above ME |
41.6±5.3 7% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
48.4±3.2Highest 8% above ME |
| Burnham and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±5 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.8%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.2%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Athens and Burnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 17.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
20.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $50,750±$14kLowest 32% below ME |
$80,724±$9kHighest 8% above ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$59,261±$18k 21% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $153,100±$33kLowest 48% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$178,100±$43k 40% below ME |
| Union and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $538±$457Lowest 53% below ME |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$1,308±$386Highest 15% above ME |
| Burnham and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,355Lowest 55% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$1,897 38% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±75.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
60.9%±49 ME: 48.4% |
| Athens and Burnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 23.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
13.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 18% above ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
22 min 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.1%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
17%±10.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Burnham and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Athens Public Schools | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | — |
| 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.