Compare towns
Fairfield vs Unity vs Milo vs Dover-Foxcroft
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 renters (38.7% rent).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Milo has the most affordable homes ($97k median).
Dover-Foxcroft has the shortest commute (15 min average).
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 | Milo | Dover-Foxcroft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,356 |
1,858Lowest |
2,165 |
4,506Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.8% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 34.2±7.7 24% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
43.9±7Highest about the ME average |
38±4.1 15% below ME |
| Milo and Dover-Foxcroft 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% |
16.8%±4.1 ME: 18.1% |
21.2%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Fairfield and Dover-Foxcroft 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% |
18.2%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Dover-Foxcroft and Milo 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% ME: 36.2% |
21.8% ME: 36.2% |
28.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±0.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $52,409±$23kLowest 30% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$56,875±$9k 24% below ME |
$63,344±$6kHighest 15% below ME |
| Dover-Foxcroft 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±$17k 53% below ME |
$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
$97,100±$27kLowest 67% below ME |
$162,600±$12k 45% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,013±$142Highest 11% below ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$879±$400 23% below ME |
$880±$97 23% below ME |
| Fairfield and Dover-Foxcroft 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 |
$1,450Lowest 52% below ME |
$1,916 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45%±23.3 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.3%±16.2Lowest 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% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
16.4% ME: 10.7% |
15.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
67.8% ME: 74.3% |
67% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1946Lowest 31 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1973 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 25% below ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
42 minHighest 70% above ME |
15 minLowest 40% below ME |
| Work from home | 7.8%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.2%±2.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.6%±6 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Dover-Foxcroft 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 | — | — | #89 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 41/MSAD 41 | RSU 68/MSAD 68 |
| High school in town | — | Ecology Learning Ctr | Penquis Valley Middle/High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4Lowest |
12.5Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.