Compare towns
Oakfield vs Unity vs Ashland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Oakfield has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Ashland has the most affordable homes ($125k 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 | Oakfield | Unity | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 629Lowest |
1,858Highest |
1,080 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 57.7±6.3Highest 29% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
53.4±9.1 19% above ME |
| Oakfield and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
14.3%±3.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Ashland and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 36.2%±7.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32.2%±8 ME: 22.4% |
| Oakfield and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 10.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
13.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $46,378±$3kLowest 38% below ME |
$62,857±$6kHighest 16% below ME |
$46,838±$15k 37% below ME |
| Unity and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $144,300±$46k 51% below ME |
$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
$125,000±$49kLowest 58% below ME |
| Unity and Oakfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $592±$261Lowest 48% below ME |
$873±$73Highest 23% below ME |
— |
| Unity and Oakfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,272Lowest 58% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,511 50% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.6%±13.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
25.7%±27.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
23.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 25% below ME |
21 minHighest 14% below ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 5.6%±4.5 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.7%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Oakfield 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.