Compare towns
Fairfield vs Milo vs Unity
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairfield has the most kids (22.8% under 18).
Milo has the most affordable homes ($97k median).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
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 | Fairfield | Milo | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,356Highest |
2,165 |
1,858Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.8% ME: +2.6% |
-3.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 34.2±7.7 24% below ME |
43.9±7Highest about the ME average |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
| Milo and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.8%±4.1 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Fairfield and Milo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 10.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.2%±2.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21.8% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $52,409±$23kLowest 30% below ME |
$56,875±$9k 24% below ME |
$62,857±$6kHighest 16% below ME |
| Unity and Milo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $139,600±$17k 53% below ME |
$97,100±$27kLowest 67% below ME |
$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,013±$142Highest 11% below ME |
$879±$400 23% below ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
| Fairfield and Milo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,119 30% below ME |
$1,450Lowest 52% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45%±23.3 ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Milo and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.8% ME: 10.7% |
16.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
67.8% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1946Lowest 31 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 25% below ME |
42 minHighest 70% above ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 7.8%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
3.2%±2.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Fairfield 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 | #47 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | — | RSU 41/MSAD 41 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center |
| High school in town | — | Penquis Valley Middle/High School | Ecology Learning Ctr |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Highest |
12.4Lowest |
| 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.