Compare towns
Cambridge vs Somerville vs Unity
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cambridge has the oldest population (median age 38.7).
Somerville has the most kids (28.8% under 18).
Unity has the most people working from home (15.8%).
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 | Cambridge | Somerville | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 532Lowest |
837 |
1,858Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 38.7±1.1Highest 14% below ME |
33.5±11.3 25% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
| Cambridge and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±8.6 ME: 18.1% |
28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Somerville and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±8Highest ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Cambridge and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±3 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,194±$39k 15% below ME |
$71,250±$15kHighest 5% below ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
| Somerville and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $214,900±$61k 28% below ME |
$218,100±$41kHighest 26% below ME |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
| Somerville and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,574Lowest 48% below ME |
$2,505 17% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
| Somerville and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.8% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 41 minHighest 65% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 1.7%±1.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 12 | 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.