Compare towns
Jay vs Somerville vs Unity vs Warren
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Jay has the most affordable homes ($169k median).
Somerville has the most kids (28.8% under 18).
Unity has the most people working from home (15.8%).
Warren has the oldest population (median age 42.2).
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 | Jay | Somerville | Unity | Warren |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,657 |
837Lowest |
1,858 |
4,932Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
+2.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.5±5.1 12% below ME |
33.5±11.3 25% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
42.2±2.2Highest 6% below ME |
| Warren and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Somerville and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
12%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Jay and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.7% ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
21.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,238±$19k 6% below ME |
$71,250±$15k 5% below ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$74,616±$21kHighest about the ME average |
| Warren and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $168,600±$27kLowest 43% below ME |
$218,100±$41k 26% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$232,700±$32kHighest 22% below ME |
| Warren and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$1,125±$456 about the ME average |
| Somerville and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,245Lowest 26% below ME |
$2,505 17% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$2,832Highest 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.2%±28.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
52.1%±29.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Somerville and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.8% ME: 10.7% |
17% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7% ME: 74.3% |
85.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 13% below ME |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
23 min 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 4.8%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.6%±9.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Warren 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 | #86 of 133 in ME | — | — | #120 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 73 | RSU 12 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | Spruce Mountain High School | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 12.4Lowest |
— |
| 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.