Compare towns
Chesterville vs Unity vs Wayne vs Steuben
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chesterville has the most kids (31.3% under 18).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Wayne has the most expensive homes ($363k median).
Steuben has the most affordable homes ($174k median).
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 | Chesterville | Unity | Wayne | Steuben |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,397 |
1,858Highest |
1,101Lowest |
1,388 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.8±4 16% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
40.1±8.5 10% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Chesterville and Steuben are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15%±3 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.4% ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
18.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $61,635±$10kLowest 18% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$76,466±$4k about the ME average |
| Wayne and Steuben are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $214,000±$40k 28% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$173,900±$32kLowest 41% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,088±$73Highest 4% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
$678±$319Lowest 40% below ME |
| Chesterville and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,194 28% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
$2,029Lowest 33% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.8%±30.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
26.3%±87.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Steuben are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
5.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.4% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
28 min 14% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Unity 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 | RSU 38 | RSU 24 |
| High school in town | — | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town | None in town |
| 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.