Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Unity vs Starks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bridgewater has the oldest population (median age 48.8).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Starks has the most homeowners (90%).
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 | Bridgewater | Unity | Starks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 484Lowest |
1,858Highest |
556 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±8Highest 9% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
| Bridgewater and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Bridgewater and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.5%±2.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,417±$15kHighest 12% below ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
| Bridgewater and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $154,900±$78k 48% below ME |
$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
| Unity and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $768±$116Lowest 33% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$1,063±$301Highest 7% below ME |
| Starks and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,417 53% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.9%±59.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Starks and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 10% below ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.5%±5.1 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | — |
| High school 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 |
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.