Compare towns
Jackson vs Thorndike vs Unity vs Waldo
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Jackson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Thorndike has the most people working from home (44.7%).
Unity has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Waldo has the shortest commute (20 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 | Jackson | Thorndike | Unity | Waldo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 567Lowest |
1,403 |
1,858Highest |
926 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.7±5.8Highest 16% below ME |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
27.5±2.2 39% below ME |
37.5±9.6 16% below ME |
| Jackson and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.5%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3 ME: 22.4% |
12.2%±1.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Jackson and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.2% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
36.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $75,167±$19k about the ME average |
$78,438±$14kHighest 5% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$71,458±$21k 4% below ME |
| Thorndike and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $231,500±$16kHighest 22% below ME |
$205,600±$88kLowest 31% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$208,000±$41k 30% below ME |
| Jackson and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $629±$12Lowest 45% below ME |
$836±$317 27% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$1,150±$691Highest about the ME average |
| Waldo and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,651Highest 13% below ME |
$2,537 16% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.8% ME: 10.7% |
6.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.6% ME: 74.3% |
87.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 41% above ME |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.3%±6.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | Waldo-Region 7 |
| High school in town | — | Mt View High School | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.7Lowest |
12.4Highest |
— |
| 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.