Compare towns
Cherryfield vs Somerville vs Unity
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 oldest population (median age 58.1).
Somerville has the most kids (28.8% under 18).
Unity has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Somerville | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 809Lowest |
837 |
1,858Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 58.1±4.2Highest 30% above ME |
33.5±11.3 25% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 11.6%±5.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 32.4%±9.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $37,115±$17kLowest 50% below ME |
$71,250±$15kHighest 5% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
| Somerville and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,800±$53kLowest 34% below ME |
$218,100±$41kHighest 26% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
| Somerville and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $428±$107Lowest 62% below ME |
$1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,950Lowest 36% below ME |
$2,505 17% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.5%±17.8 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Somerville and Cherryfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 26.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
17%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 22% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.2%±10.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Cherryfield and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Cherryfield Public Schools | RSU 12 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center |
| High school in town | None 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.