Compare towns
Fairfield vs Unity vs Machias
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).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Machias has the oldest population (median age 40.8).
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 | Machias |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,356Highest |
1,858Lowest |
2,020 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.8% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 34.2±7.7 24% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
40.8±9.6Highest 9% below ME |
| Machias 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% |
15.9%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Fairfield and Machias 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% |
20.2%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
16% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
12.7%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $52,409±$23k 30% below ME |
$62,857±$6kHighest 16% below ME |
$34,375±$16kLowest 54% below ME |
| Unity and Fairfield 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 |
$141,300±$17k 52% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,013±$142Highest 11% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$692±$276Lowest 39% below ME |
| Fairfield and Unity 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 |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,885Lowest 38% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45%±23.3 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Lowest ME: 48.4% |
58.9%±22.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Machias and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
25.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.3% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
49.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1946Lowest 31 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1971 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 25% below ME |
21 minHighest 14% below ME |
16 minLowest 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 7.8%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.7%±9.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Machias 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 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | Machias Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | Ecology Learning Ctr | Machias Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4Highest |
10.4Lowest |
| 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.