Compare towns
Durham vs Palmyra vs Unity
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has the highest household income ($99k).
Palmyra has the most kids (29.2% under 18).
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 | Durham | Palmyra | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,262Highest |
2,209 |
1,858Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
-3.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±5.9Highest 5% below ME |
37.1±4.8 17% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
| Durham and Palmyra are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
29.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Palmyra and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
16.7%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Palmyra and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,181±$5kHighest 33% above ME |
$60,543±$17kLowest 19% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,200±$34kHighest 9% above ME |
$154,900±$34kLowest 48% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $733±$119Lowest 36% below ME |
$873±$73Highest 23% below ME |
| Unity and Palmyra are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,781Highest 25% above ME |
$1,614Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±40.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
47.2%±14.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
| Palmyra and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.1% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Durham and Unity 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 | #14 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 05 | — | 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 |
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.