Compare towns
Carthage vs Unity vs Stetson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Carthage has the most affordable homes ($144k median).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Stetson has the most kids (22.4% 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 | Carthage | Unity | Stetson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 845Lowest |
1,858Highest |
1,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -9.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.8±10.9Highest 4% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
42.2±5.1 6% below ME |
| Carthage and Stetson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.4%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Stetson and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 10.7%±0.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3 ME: 22.4% |
14.2%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Stetson and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
19.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,107±$18kHighest 6% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$76,023±$28k about the ME average |
| Carthage and Stetson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $144,300±$41kLowest 51% below ME |
$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
$205,700±$34k 31% below ME |
| Unity and Stetson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $811±$262 29% below ME |
$873±$73Highest 23% below ME |
$800±$377Lowest 30% below ME |
| Unity and Carthage are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,239Lowest 59% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,962 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±88Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
73.7%±42Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Stetson and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992 15 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 10%±7.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Stetson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | — |
| High school 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.