Compare towns
Brooks vs Thorndike vs Unity vs Newburgh
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 most affordable homes ($197k median).
Thorndike has the most people working from home (44.7%).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Newburgh has the most expensive homes ($245k 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 | Brooks | Thorndike | Unity | Newburgh |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208Lowest |
1,403 |
1,858Highest |
1,475 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3% ME: +2.6% |
-13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8% 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 |
45.8±5.7 about the ME average |
| Brooks and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.8%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±2.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Newburgh and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5% ME: 36.2% |
25.2% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.9%Highest 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% |
4.3%±2.7 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 |
$76,750±$10k about the ME average |
| Thorndike and Newburgh 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±$28k 30% below ME |
$244,600±$20kHighest 18% below ME |
| Newburgh and Unity 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 |
$950±$219 17% below ME |
| Brooks and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,096Lowest 31% below ME |
$2,537 16% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$2,748Highest 9% 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% |
42.9%±13.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Newburgh 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% |
11.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6% ME: 74.3% |
87.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.2% 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 |
1985 8 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 |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
6.4%±3.3Lowest 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 | 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.