Compare towns
Madison vs Somerville vs Unity vs Anson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Madison has the most renters (45.4% rent).
Somerville has the most kids (28.8% under 18).
Unity has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Anson has the most affordable homes ($118k median).
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 | Madison | Somerville | Unity | Anson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,782Highest |
837Lowest |
1,858 |
2,331 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
-8.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.6±3.4Highest 11% above ME |
33.5±11.3 25% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
46.7±6.2 4% above ME |
| Madison and Anson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Somerville and Anson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.1%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Madison and Anson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.4% ME: 36.2% |
25.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
11.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $61,747±$11k 17% below ME |
$71,250±$15kHighest 5% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$52,474±$21kLowest 30% below ME |
| Somerville and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $187,600±$40k 37% below ME |
$218,100±$41kHighest 26% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$117,800±$14kLowest 60% below ME |
| Somerville and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $906±$247 20% below ME |
$1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$928±$62 19% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,983 35% below ME |
$2,505 17% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,572Lowest 48% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.9%±11.7 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
20.6%±23.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Somerville and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 15% ME: 10.7% |
17% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3% ME: 74.3% |
79.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 13 yrs older than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1972 5 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
33 minHighest 32% above ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±10.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
3%±2.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Madison and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 59/MSAD 59 | RSU 12 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 74/MSAD 74 |
| High school in town | Madison Jr/Sr High School | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | Carrabec High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0Lowest |
— | 12.4Highest |
11.6 |
| 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.