Compare towns
Benton vs Unity vs Windsor vs Fairfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Benton has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Windsor has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Fairfield has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
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 | Benton | Unity | Windsor | Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,770 |
1,858Lowest |
2,690 |
6,519Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.8±6 4% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
43.5±8Highest about the ME average |
43.1±4 4% below ME |
| Windsor and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.2%±6.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.8%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Windsor and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21%±3.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
14.3%±4.4 ME: 22.4% |
17.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Benton and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.2% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $61,437±$5kLowest 18% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$63,178±$5k 15% below ME |
$64,101±$11kHighest 14% below ME |
| Fairfield and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $176,700±$23k 40% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$228,800±$22kHighest 23% below ME |
$164,300±$28kLowest 45% below ME |
| Windsor and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,110±$123 about the ME average |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,265±$400Highest 11% above ME |
$1,001±$101 12% below ME |
| Windsor and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,758Lowest 42% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$2,160 29% below ME |
$2,217 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
46.2%±31.6 ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±12.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Benton and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.2% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 21% below ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
36 minHighest 45% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 6.7%±4.9 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.1%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Fairfield 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 | #85 of 133 in ME | — | #44 of 133 in ME | #47 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 49/MSAD 49 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 12 | RSU 49/MSAD 49 · Maine Academy of Natural Sciences |
| High school in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town | Lawrence High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4Lowest |
— | 13.3Highest |
| 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.