Compare towns
Industry vs Starks vs Unity
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Industry has the most kids (24.4% under 18).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k 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 | Industry | Starks | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 988 |
556Lowest |
1,858Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -15.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.6±10.7 9% below ME |
46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
| Starks and Industry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.4%±6.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Industry and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.3%±6.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Industry and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,056±$19k 16% below ME |
$63,500±$8kHighest 15% below ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
| Starks and Industry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $205,600±$31k 31% below ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
| Unity and Industry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,049±$137 8% below ME |
$1,063±$301Highest 7% below ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
| Starks and Industry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,793 41% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.9%±38.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Industry and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86% ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 41 minHighest 67% above ME |
33 min 33% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Industry 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 |
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.