Compare towns
Buxton vs Palmyra vs Unity
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Buxton has the most expensive homes ($357k median).
Palmyra has the most kids (29.2% 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 | Buxton | Palmyra | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,512Highest |
2,209 |
1,858Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3% ME: +2.6% |
-3.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.5±3.9Highest about the ME average |
37.1±4.8 17% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
| Buxton and Palmyra are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
29.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.7%±5.3 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Buxton and Palmyra are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,144±$21kHighest 34% above ME |
$60,543±$17kLowest 19% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,800±$21kHighest 20% above ME |
$154,900±$34kLowest 48% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,613±$266Highest 42% above ME |
$733±$119Lowest 36% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,422Highest 13% above ME |
$1,614Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±26.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
47.2%±14.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
| Palmyra and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.1% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 39% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±3.1 ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Buxton 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 | #104 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center |
| High school in town | None 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.