Compare towns
Freedom vs Mapleton vs Knox vs Unity
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 homeowners (90.2%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Knox has the most affordable homes ($160k 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 | Freedom | Mapleton | Knox | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 670Lowest |
1,884Highest |
825 |
1,858 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.1% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.6% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±2.7 10% below ME |
41.8±6Highest 7% below ME |
41.1±7.9 8% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
| Mapleton and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
17.3%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Freedom and Mapleton 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% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.6%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $64,861±$12k 13% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$64,821±$9k 13% below ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
| Mapleton 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±$69k 36% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$159,600±$26kLowest 46% below ME |
$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
| Unity and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,375±$47Highest 21% above ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,328 23% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,610Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.1%±100 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
11.3%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Freedom 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
8.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
80.1% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 8.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±7.4 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center |
| High school in town | — | None 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.