Compare towns
Merrill vs Union vs Dyer Brook
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Merrill has the most kids (41.7% under 18).
Union has the most expensive homes ($268k median).
Dyer Brook has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Merrill | Union | Dyer Brook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 372 |
2,663Highest |
275Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.5% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 33.2±9.9Lowest 26% below ME |
41.6±5.3Highest 7% below ME |
38.7±11.8 14% below ME |
| Union and Dyer Brook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 41.7%±11Highest ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4 ME: 18.1% |
24.4%±11Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 14%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
12.4%±8.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Union and Merrill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±6.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Dyer Brook and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,536±$8kLowest 12% below ME |
$80,724±$9kHighest 8% above ME |
$73,409±$27k about the ME average |
| Union and Dyer Brook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $131,600±$21kLowest 56% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
$135,000±$51k 54% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,179±$452 4% above ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,449Lowest 52% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
$1,606 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Merrill and Dyer Brook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2% ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 19% above ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 13.2%±6.6 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±6.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Merrill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.