Compare towns
China vs Sidney vs Unity
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
China has the highest household income ($96k).
Sidney has the most expensive homes ($336k median).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
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 | China | Sidney | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,526 |
4,790Highest |
1,858Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.9±5.9 9% below ME |
43±5.5Highest 4% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
| Sidney and China are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.4%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and China are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| China and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.9% ME: 36.2% |
33.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,309±$12kHighest 29% above ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
| China and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,000±$37k 19% below ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,535Highest 17% below ME |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 10.6%±25.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 21% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.6%±4.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Sidney 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 | #27 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 18 | RSU 18 | 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.