What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mars Hill has the most kids (22.9% under 18).

Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Mars Hill	Unity
People
Population	1,398Lowest	1,858Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	43.4±3Highest 3% below ME	27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME
Kids under 18	22.9%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1%	14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Mars Hill and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	24.5%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4%	11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	26%Highest ME: 36.2%	22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.8%±3.4Lowest ME: 5.8%	30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$65,273±$9kHighest 13% below ME	$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME
	Mars Hill and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$163,600±$23kLowest 45% below ME	$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME
	Unity and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$488±$96Lowest 57% below ME	$873±$73Highest 23% below ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,843Lowest 39% below ME	$2,510Highest 17% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	30.6%±7.1Lowest ME: 48.4%	44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4%
	Unity and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.6%Lowest ME: 10.7%	17.3%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3%	72.3%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME	1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 min 14% below ME	21 min 14% below ME
Work from home	6.9%±6.6Lowest ME: 15.9%	15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9%
	Unity and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	RSU 42/MSAD 42	RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center
High school in town	Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S	Ecology Learning Ctr
Students per teacherat that high school	8.0Lowest	12.4Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.