Compare towns
Brooks vs Thorndike vs Unity
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brooks has the oldest population (median age 45.9).
Thorndike has the most kids (49.8% 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 | Brooks | Thorndike | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208Lowest |
1,403 |
1,858Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3% ME: +2.6% |
-13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
27.5±2.2 39% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 17%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3 ME: 22.4% |
| Brooks and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.2% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$78,438±$14kHighest 5% above ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
| Thorndike and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,700±$33kLowest 34% below ME |
$205,600±$88k 31% below ME |
$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
| Unity and Thorndike are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,116±$112Highest about the ME average |
$836±$317Lowest 27% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,096Lowest 31% below ME |
$2,537Highest 16% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Thorndike are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6% ME: 74.3% |
87.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt View High School | Ecology Learning Ctr |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.7Lowest |
12.4Highest |
| 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.