Compare towns
Mercer vs Morrill vs Unity vs Starks
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 people working from home (20.5%).
Morrill has the most kids (22.8% under 18).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k 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 | Mercer | Morrill | Unity | Starks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 718 |
914 |
1,858Highest |
556Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% ME: +2.6% |
+9.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%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 |
46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
| Starks 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%±4.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Morrill and Mercer 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% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Mercer and Starks 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% ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest 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% |
0.9%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,107±$2k 5% below ME |
$74,250±$18kHighest about the ME average |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
| Morrill and Mercer 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 |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% 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 |
$1,063±$301 7% below ME |
| Mercer and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,970 35% below ME |
$2,472 19% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18.5%±74Lowest ME: 48.4% |
34.3%±45.5 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Starks and Unity 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.5% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90% 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 |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.5%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.9%±3.3 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mercer and Unity 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 | — |
| High school 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.