Compare towns
Buxton vs Unity vs Poland
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).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Poland has the most people working from home (21.9%).
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 | Unity | Poland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,512Highest |
1,858Lowest |
5,954 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
+9.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.5±3.9Highest about the ME average |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
44.2±9.4 about the ME average |
| Buxton and Poland 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% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Poland and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.8%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Buxton and Poland 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% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
23.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,144±$21kHighest 34% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$85,557±$23k 14% above ME |
| Buxton and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,800±$21kHighest 20% above ME |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$283,600±$44k 4% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,613±$266Highest 42% above ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,198±$128 5% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,422Highest 13% above ME |
$2,510Lowest 17% below ME |
$2,774 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±26.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
61.6%±30.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Poland 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% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
16.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 39% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Poland and Unity 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 | — | #81 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 16 |
| High school in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | Poland Regional H S |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4Highest |
12.2Lowest |
| 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.