Compare towns
Jefferson vs Unity
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Jefferson has the most kids (28% under 18).
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 | Jefferson | Unity |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 2,647Highest |
1,858Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 38.1±4.9Highest 15% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 28%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $85,078±$17kHighest 14% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
| Jefferson and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,600±$35kHighest 5% above ME |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,120±$130Highest about the ME average |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,587Highest 15% below ME |
$2,510Lowest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.8%±25.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 8.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Jefferson 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 | #45 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Jefferson Public Schools | 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 |
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.