Compare towns
Northfield vs Stoneham vs Unity vs Wesley
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 highest household income ($68k).
Stoneham has the most people working from home (40.7%).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Wesley has the most affordable homes ($69k 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 | Northfield | Stoneham | Unity | Wesley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 263Lowest |
271 |
1,858Highest |
320 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +9.2% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 62.1±16.2Highest 39% above ME |
60.6±7.1 35% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
37.3±3.1 17% below ME |
| Northfield and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.4%±7.8 ME: 18.1% |
5.9%±7.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±6.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Wesley and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 39.2%±9.2 ME: 22.4% |
41%±17.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
16.6%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Stoneham and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
37.8% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
14.8%±13.9 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.2%±4 ME: 5.8% |
| Unity and Stoneham 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 |
$63,750±$27k 15% below ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$63,125±$34k 16% below ME |
| Northfield and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $198,600±$64k 33% below ME |
$226,200±$32kHighest 24% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$68,800±$21kLowest 77% below ME |
| Stoneham and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,125±$383Highest about the ME average |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
— |
| Stoneham and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,773 42% below ME |
$1,426 53% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$558Lowest 82% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 66.7%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
27.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Stoneham and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 20.5% ME: 10.7% |
7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
34.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9% ME: 74.3% |
89.8% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
29 min 18% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
48 minHighest 96% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.2%±2.6 ME: 15.9% |
40.7%±15.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
1.9%±3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | — |
| High school 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.