Compare towns
Carmel vs Freedom vs Unity
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Carmel has the highest household income ($82k).
Freedom has the most kids (22.2% 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 | Carmel | Freedom | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,941Highest |
670Lowest |
1,858 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% ME: +2.6% |
-1.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.5Highest 4% above ME |
40.1±2.7 10% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
| Carmel and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Freedom and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±5 ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Freedom and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 17.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
23.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
0.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,188±$22kHighest 10% above ME |
$64,861±$12k 13% below ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
| Carmel and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,800±$37kHighest 13% below ME |
$190,600±$69kLowest 36% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
| Carmel and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,276±$187Highest 12% above ME |
— | $873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,662Highest 12% below ME |
$2,328Lowest 23% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±38.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.1%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
| Carmel and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.6% ME: 10.7% |
11.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% ME: 74.3% |
90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Freedom 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 | #77 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | — | 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.