Compare towns
Levant vs Unity vs Sumner vs Jefferson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Levant has the highest household income ($86k).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Sumner has the oldest population (median age 56.1).
Jefferson has the most kids (28% under 18).
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 | Levant | Unity | Sumner | Jefferson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,069Highest |
1,858 |
845Lowest |
2,647 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9% ME: +2.6% |
+5.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.7±2.2 11% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
38.1±4.9 15% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
28%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Jefferson and Levant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.6% ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
27.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.6%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $86,071±$22kHighest 15% above ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
$85,078±$17k 14% above ME |
| Levant and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,500±$27k 9% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$311,600±$35kHighest 5% above ME |
| Jefferson and Levant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,370±$120Highest 20% above ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
— | $1,120±$130 about the ME average |
| Levant and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,580 15% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$2,167Lowest 29% below ME |
$2,587Highest 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±14 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
29.8%±25.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Levant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.4% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1995Highest 18 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 27% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.9%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Unity 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 | #124 of 133 in ME | — | — | #45 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 10 | Jefferson Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4 |
— | — |
| 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.