Compare towns
Mapleton vs Palmyra vs Somerville vs Unity
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Palmyra has the most affordable homes ($155k median).
Somerville has the most expensive homes ($218k median).
Unity has the most people working from home (15.8%).
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 | Mapleton | Palmyra | Somerville | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
2,209Highest |
837Lowest |
1,858 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.1% ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Highest 7% below ME |
37.1±4.8 17% below ME |
33.5±11.3 25% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
| Mapleton and Palmyra are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
29.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
28.8%±7 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Palmyra and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.7%±5.3 ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Mapleton and Palmyra are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.7% ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$60,543±$17kLowest 19% below ME |
$71,250±$15k 5% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
| Mapleton and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$154,900±$34kLowest 48% below ME |
$218,100±$41kHighest 26% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% 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 | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$733±$119 36% below ME |
$1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789 41% below ME |
$1,614Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,505 17% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
47.2%±14.9 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
| Somerville and Palmyra are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.1% ME: 10.7% |
17% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
85.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | RSU 12 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center |
| High school in town | None 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 | 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.