Compare towns
Caribou vs Unity vs Norway
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Caribou has the most affordable homes ($134k median).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Norway has the most kids (17.5% under 18).
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 | Caribou | Unity | Norway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,382Highest |
1,858Lowest |
5,228 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -9.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51.3±1.7Highest 15% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
49.5±4.9 10% above ME |
| Caribou and Norway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±4.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Norway and Caribou are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.1%±5.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Caribou and Norway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
21.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.6%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,709±$9kLowest 28% below ME |
$62,857±$6kHighest 16% below ME |
$54,342±$17k 27% below ME |
| Unity and Norway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $134,100±$31kLowest 55% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$215,800±$29kHighest 27% below ME |
| Norway and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $757±$143Lowest 34% below ME |
$873±$73Highest 23% below ME |
$770±$66 32% below ME |
| Unity and Norway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,680Lowest 45% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$2,057 32% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.3%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Lowest ME: 48.4% |
48.7%±17.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Norway and Caribou are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
20.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
70.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 17 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 40% below ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Norway 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 | #59 of 133 in ME | — | #79 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 39 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 17/MSAD 17 · Oxford-Region 11 |
| High school in town | Caribou High School | Ecology Learning Ctr | Oxford Hills Comprehensive H S |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.2 |
12.4Lowest |
14.7Highest |
| 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.