Compare towns
Buckfield vs Unity vs Hartford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Buckfield has the most expensive homes ($228k median).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Hartford has the oldest population (median age 42.2).
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 | Buckfield | Unity | Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,403Highest |
1,858 |
1,314Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.7±10.1 16% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
42.2±6.5Highest 6% below ME |
| Hartford and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25.7%±7.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.4%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Buckfield and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.7%±2.7 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.9%±0.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
17.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,917±$41k 4% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$87,115±$40kHighest 17% above ME |
| Hartford and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $227,700±$18kHighest 23% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$189,200±$44kLowest 36% below ME |
| Buckfield and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $521±$33Lowest 54% below ME |
$873±$73Highest 23% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,860 6% below ME |
$2,510Lowest 17% below ME |
$3,024Highest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±55Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Hartford and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
97.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 25% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
41 minHighest 68% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.6%±12.5 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.2%±3.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 10 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | — |
| High school in town | Buckfield Jr-Sr High School | Ecology Learning Ctr | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2Lowest |
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.