Compare towns
Fairfield vs Unity vs Fairfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
Bordering FairfieldBenton
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairfield has the most renters (38.7% rent).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Fairfield has the oldest population (median age 43.1).
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 | Unity | Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,356 |
1,858Lowest |
6,519Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.8% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 34.2±7.7 24% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
43.1±4Highest 4% below ME |
| Fairfield 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% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.8%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Fairfield and Fairfield 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% |
11.8%±3 ME: 22.4% |
17.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Fairfield and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
4%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $52,409±$23kLowest 30% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$64,101±$11kHighest 14% below ME |
| Fairfield and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $139,600±$17kLowest 53% below ME |
$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
$164,300±$28k 45% below ME |
| Unity and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,013±$142Highest 11% below ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,001±$101 12% below ME |
| Fairfield and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,119Lowest 30% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$2,217 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45%±23.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±12.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Fairfield and Unity 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% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
72.3% ME: 74.3% |
78.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1946Lowest 31 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 25% below ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 7.8%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.1%±5.4 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 | — | #47 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 49/MSAD 49 · Maine Academy of Natural Sciences |
| High school in town | — | Ecology Learning Ctr | Lawrence High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4Lowest |
13.3Highest |
| 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.