Compare towns
Caribou vs Unity vs Winslow
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%).
Winslow has the highest household income ($71k).
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 | Winslow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,382 |
1,858Lowest |
8,023Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -9.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51.3±1.7Highest 15% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
47.6±3.6 6% above ME |
| Caribou and Winslow 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% |
17.3%±3.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Winslow 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% |
21.8%±2.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Caribou and Winslow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.8% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.6%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,709±$9kLowest 28% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$70,917±$9kHighest 5% below ME |
| Winslow and Unity 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 |
$225,300±$11kHighest 24% below ME |
| Winslow 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±$73 23% below ME |
$1,041±$221Highest 9% below ME |
| Winslow and Unity 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 |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$2,809Highest 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.3%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.7%±9.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Winslow and Caribou are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.5% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
76.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 17 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1970 7 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 40% below ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
23 minHighest 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.5%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Caribou 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 | — | #57 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 39 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | Winslow Schools |
| High school in town | Caribou High School | Ecology Learning Ctr | Winslow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.2Highest |
12.4 |
12.3Lowest |
| 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.