Compare towns

Northfield vs Palmyra

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Northfield has the oldest population (median age 62.1).
Palmyra has the most kids (29.2% under 18).

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.

MeasureNorthfieldPalmyra
People
Population
263Lowest
2,209Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
-3.1%
ME: +2.6%
Median age
62.1±16.2Highest
39% above ME
37.1±4.8Lowest
17% below ME
Kids under 18
11.4%±7.8Lowest
ME: 18.1%
29.2%±5.8Highest
ME: 18.1%
Age 65+
39.2%±9.2Highest
ME: 22.4%
16.7%±5.3Lowest
ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
40.4%Highest
ME: 36.2%
13.8%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
1.5%±4.4Lowest
ME: 5.8%
4%±2.4Highest
ME: 5.8%
Palmyra and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$68,333±$52kHighest
9% below ME
$60,543±$17kLowest
19% below ME
Northfield and Palmyra are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$198,600±$64kHighest
33% below ME
$154,900±$34kLowest
48% below ME
Northfield and Palmyra are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly —
$733±$119
36% below ME
Property taxmedian, yearly
$1,773Highest
42% below ME
$1,614Lowest
47% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent —
47.2%±14.9
ME: 48.4%
Below poverty line
20.5%Highest
ME: 10.7%
9.1%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
88.9%Highest
ME: 74.3%
82.6%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1975Lowest
2 yrs older than ME
1994Highest
17 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
24 minHighest
about the ME average
21 minLowest
14% below ME
Work from home
3.2%±2.6Lowest
ME: 15.9%
7.5%±4.1Highest
ME: 15.9%
Palmyra and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
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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.