Compare towns
Baldwin vs Mapleton vs Palmyra vs Unity
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Baldwin has the most expensive homes ($263k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Palmyra has the most kids (29.2% under 18).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
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 | Baldwin | Mapleton | Palmyra | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,170Lowest |
1,884 |
2,209Highest |
1,858 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.3% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.1% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.6±4.6Highest 13% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
37.1±4.8 17% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
| Baldwin and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.1%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
29.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Palmyra and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
16.7%±5.3 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.7% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $68,045±$8k 9% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$60,543±$17kLowest 19% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
| Mapleton and Baldwin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $263,200±$38kHighest 11% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$154,900±$34kLowest 48% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
| Baldwin and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$733±$119 36% below ME |
$873±$73Highest 23% below ME |
| Unity and Palmyra are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,540Highest 16% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,614Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±42.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
47.2%±14.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
| Palmyra and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
9.1% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 32% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±4.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center |
| High school 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.