Compare towns
Knox vs Morrill vs Thorndike vs Unity
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Knox has the most affordable homes ($160k median).
Morrill has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.8%).
Thorndike has the most people working from home (44.7%).
Unity has the shortest commute (21 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 | Knox | Morrill | Thorndike | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 825Lowest |
914 |
1,403 |
1,858Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6% ME: +2.6% |
+9.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.1±7.9Highest 8% below ME |
39.8±6.1 11% below ME |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
27.5±2.2 39% below ME |
| Knox and Morrill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.8%±4.1 ME: 18.1% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Morrill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3 ME: 22.4% |
| Morrill and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26% ME: 36.2% |
31.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.2% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $64,821±$9k 13% below ME |
$74,250±$18k about the ME average |
$78,438±$14kHighest 5% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
| Thorndike and Morrill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $159,600±$26kLowest 46% below ME |
$214,000±$18kHighest 28% below ME |
$205,600±$88k 31% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
| Morrill and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$47Highest 21% above ME |
$975±$891 14% below ME |
$836±$317Lowest 27% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
| Knox and Morrill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,610Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,472 19% below ME |
$2,537Highest 16% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.3%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
34.3%±45.5 ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Thorndike are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.6% ME: 10.7% |
6.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.5% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1% ME: 74.3% |
89.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.2% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 22% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±7.4 ME: 15.9% |
5.9%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 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 71 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Mt View High School | Ecology Learning Ctr |
| 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.