Compare towns
Leeds vs Unity vs Buckfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Leeds has the most kids (30.6% under 18).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Buckfield has the most homeowners (94.9%).
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 | Leeds | Unity | Buckfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,285 |
1,858Lowest |
2,403Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 38.2±8.3Highest 15% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
37.7±10.1 16% below ME |
| Leeds and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 30.6%±9.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
25.7%±7.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Leeds and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.8%±2.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Leeds and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.4%±3.7 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,208±$14kHighest 14% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$77,917±$41k 4% above ME |
| Leeds and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,800±$27kHighest 13% below ME |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$227,700±$18k 23% below ME |
| Leeds and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $940±$461Highest 17% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$521±$33Lowest 54% below ME |
| Leeds and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,565 16% below ME |
$2,510Lowest 17% below ME |
$2,860Highest 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.1%±11.5 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±55Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Leeds are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 37% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
31 min 25% above ME |
| Work from home | 10%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±12.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 52/MSAD 52 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 10 |
| High school in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | Buckfield Jr-Sr High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4Highest |
10.2Lowest |
| 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.