Compare towns
Freedom vs Baldwin vs Unity vs Marshfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Freedom has the most affordable homes ($191k median).
Baldwin has the most expensive homes ($263k median).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Marshfield has the shortest commute (13 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 | Freedom | Baldwin | Unity | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 670 |
1,170 |
1,858Highest |
499Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.3% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±2.7 10% below ME |
50.6±4.6Highest 13% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
40.9±7.8 9% below ME |
| Baldwin and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
12.1%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
28.5%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Marshfield and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
27.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.8%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Baldwin and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.2% ME: 36.2% |
23.7% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $64,861±$12k 13% below ME |
$68,045±$8kHighest 9% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$62,500±$5kLowest 16% below ME |
| Baldwin and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $190,600±$69kLowest 36% below ME |
$263,200±$38kHighest 11% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$191,900±$42k 35% below ME |
| Baldwin and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | — | $873±$73 23% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,328Lowest 23% below ME |
$2,540Highest 16% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$2,342 23% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.1%±100 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±42.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Marshfield and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.5% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.2% ME: 74.3% |
89% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 29% above ME |
32 minHighest 32% above ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
13 minLowest 46% below ME |
| Work from home | 8.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11%±7 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | — |
| High school 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 | 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.