Compare towns
Mercer vs Morrill vs Unity vs Perry
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mercer has the most expensive homes ($239k median).
Morrill has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.8%).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Perry has the most people working from home (23.4%).
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 | Mercer | Morrill | Unity | Perry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 718Lowest |
914 |
1,858Highest |
744 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% ME: +2.6% |
+9.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
-9.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
39.8±6.1 11% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
45.5±11.4Highest about the ME average |
| Perry and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±6.4 ME: 18.1% |
22.8%±4.1 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.1%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Perry and Morrill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.9%±5.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21%±6.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Mercer and Perry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
31.2% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
31.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,107±$2k 5% below ME |
$74,250±$18k about the ME average |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$82,056±$4kHighest 10% above ME |
| Perry and Morrill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,500±$32kHighest 20% below ME |
$214,000±$18k 28% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$196,400±$13kLowest 34% below ME |
| Mercer and Morrill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$249Highest 25% above ME |
$975±$891 14% below ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
— |
| Mercer and Morrill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,970Lowest 35% below ME |
$2,472 19% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$3,132Highest 3% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18.5%±74Lowest ME: 48.4% |
34.3%±45.5 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
27.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Morrill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.6% ME: 10.7% |
6.3% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.5% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1990 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
26 min 6% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.5%±8.9 ME: 15.9% |
5.9%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
23.4%±11.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Perry and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 71 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | Perry Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | 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.