Compare towns
Northfield vs Unity vs Marshfield
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).
Unity has the most people working from home (15.8%).
Marshfield has the most kids (28.5% under 18).
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 | Unity | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 263Lowest |
1,858Highest |
499 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 62.1±16.2Highest 39% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
40.9±7.8 9% below ME |
| Northfield and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.4%±7.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
28.5%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 39.2%±9.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.8%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,333±$52kHighest 9% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$62,500±$5kLowest 16% below ME |
| Northfield and Unity 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 |
$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
$191,900±$42kLowest 35% below ME |
| Unity and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $873±$73 23% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,773Lowest 42% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$2,342 23% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 44.8%±13Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Marshfield and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 20.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
9.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest about the ME average |
21 min 14% below ME |
13 minLowest 46% below ME |
| Work from home | 3.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11%±7 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| 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 |
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.