Compare towns
Palermo vs Somerville vs Unity
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Palermo has the oldest population (median age 43.4).
Somerville has the most kids (28.8% under 18).
Unity has the shortest commute (21 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 | Palermo | Somerville | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,473 |
837Lowest |
1,858Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±6.1Highest 3% below ME |
33.5±11.3 25% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
| Palermo and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.1%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Somerville and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±2Highest ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.7% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,095±$15kHighest 19% above ME |
$71,250±$15k 5% below ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
| Palermo and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $259,700±$54kHighest 12% below ME |
$218,100±$41k 26% below ME |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
| Palermo and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,235±$1k 8% above ME |
$1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
| Somerville and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,506 17% below ME |
$2,505Lowest 17% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.6%±100 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Somerville and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.8% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 24% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.8%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Palermo and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 12 | RSU 12 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center |
| High school in town | None in town | None 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.