Compare towns
Palermo vs Unity vs Somerville vs Monroe
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 most people working from home (18.8%).
Unity has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Somerville has the most kids (28.8% under 18).
Monroe has the oldest population (median age 43.5).
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 | Unity | Somerville | Monroe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,473 |
1,858Highest |
837Lowest |
1,001 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±6.1 3% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
33.5±11.3 25% below ME |
43.5±7Highest about the ME average |
| Monroe and Palermo 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% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
23.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Somerville and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±2 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Monroe and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.7% ME: 36.2% |
29.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±4.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $89,095±$15kHighest 19% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$71,250±$15k 5% below ME |
$81,300±$7k 9% above ME |
| Palermo and Monroe 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 |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$218,100±$41k 26% below ME |
$220,300±$57k 26% below ME |
| Palermo and Monroe 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 |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
$1,165±$152 about the ME average |
| 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 |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$2,505 17% below ME |
$2,207Lowest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.6%±100 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.9%±47.8 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% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
17% ME: 10.7% |
11.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.8% ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 24% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
32 minHighest 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.8%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±4.4 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 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 12 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.