Compare towns
Cherryfield vs Patten vs Unity vs Columbia
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cherryfield has the most renters (33.2% rent).
Patten has the most affordable homes ($83k median).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Columbia has the most kids (24.2% 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 | Cherryfield | Patten | Unity | Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 809 |
607 |
1,858Highest |
529Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | +9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 58.1±4.2Highest 30% above ME |
56.1±5.8 25% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
41.9±6.4 6% below ME |
| Cherryfield and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.6%±5.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.5%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Columbia and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 32.4%±9.6 ME: 22.4% |
32.9%±5.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.9%±5.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Patten and Cherryfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.4% ME: 36.2% |
30.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
21.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.7%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
9.1%±4.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $37,115±$17kLowest 50% below ME |
$45,750±$19k 39% below ME |
$62,857±$6kHighest 16% below ME |
$56,667±$15k 24% below ME |
| Unity and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,800±$53k 34% below ME |
$83,000±$51kLowest 72% below ME |
$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
$158,700±$19k 46% below ME |
| Unity and Cherryfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $428±$107 62% below ME |
$389±$99Lowest 66% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$894±$162Highest 22% below ME |
| Columbia and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,950 36% below ME |
$857Lowest 72% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,226 60% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.5%±17.8 ME: 48.4% |
56%±58.6 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Lowest ME: 48.4% |
61.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Columbia and Cherryfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 26.3% ME: 10.7% |
28.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
13.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
72.4% ME: 74.3% |
72.3% ME: 74.3% |
81.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1955Lowest 22 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 22% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.2%±10.4 ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±24.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
9%±5.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Cherryfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Cherryfield Public Schools | — | 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 | 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.