Compare towns
Otis vs Unity vs Friendship
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Otis has the highest household income ($101k).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Friendship has the most people working from home (17.9%).
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 | Otis | Unity | Friendship |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 705Lowest |
1,858Highest |
1,213 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.7±3.1 22% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
55.5±6.9Highest 24% above ME |
| Friendship and Otis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±7.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Otis and Friendship are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±8 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
37.3%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.8% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.8%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,250±$27kHighest 35% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$75,625±$22k about the ME average |
| Otis and Friendship are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $282,500±$23kHighest 5% below ME |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$275,000±$56k 7% below ME |
| Otis and Friendship are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,563±$734Highest 37% above ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,370±$53 20% above ME |
| Otis and Friendship are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,263 25% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$2,218Lowest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.7%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.5%±42.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Friendship are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.5% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 69% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 5.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
17.9%±7.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Friendship and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Otis Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town |
| 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.