Compare towns
Otis vs Unity vs Swans Island
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 the most people working from home (15.8%).
Swans Island has the shortest commute (12 min average).
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 | Swans Island |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 705 |
1,858Highest |
438Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 54.7±3.1Highest 22% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
52.8±9.5 18% above ME |
| Otis and Swans Island 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% |
16.4%±6 ME: 18.1% |
| Otis and Swans Island 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% |
28.1%±10.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Swans Island and Otis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.8% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
37.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±3.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,250±$27kHighest 35% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$86,250±$13k 15% above ME |
| Otis and Swans Island are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $282,500±$23k 5% below ME |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$316,700±$75kHighest 7% above ME |
| Swans Island and Otis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,563±$734 37% above ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$2,125±$556Highest 87% above ME |
| Swans Island and Otis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,263Lowest 25% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$2,420 20% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.7%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
40%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Swans Island are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
1.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.5% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 69% above ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
12 minLowest 51% below ME |
| Work from home | 5.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Swans Island 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 | MSAD 76 |
| 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.