Compare towns
Palmyra vs Freedom vs Chesterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Palmyra has the most affordable homes ($155k median).
Freedom has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.1%).
Chesterville has the most expensive homes ($214k median).
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 | Palmyra | Freedom | Chesterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,209Highest |
670Lowest |
1,397 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.1±4.8Lowest 17% below ME |
40.1±2.7Highest 10% below ME |
37.8±4 16% below ME |
| Freedom and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 29.2%±5.8 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Chesterville and Palmyra are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.7%±5.3 ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
15%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Freedom and Palmyra are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
23.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Palmyra and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,543±$17kLowest 19% below ME |
$64,861±$12kHighest 13% below ME |
$61,635±$10k 18% below ME |
| Freedom and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $154,900±$34kLowest 48% below ME |
$190,600±$69k 36% below ME |
$214,000±$40kHighest 28% below ME |
| Chesterville and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $733±$119Lowest 36% below ME |
— | $1,088±$73Highest 4% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,614Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,328Highest 23% below ME |
$2,194 28% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.2%±14.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.1%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
21.8%±30.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Palmyra and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.5% ME: 10.7% |
12%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
86.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 7.5%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±3.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Freedom and Palmyra are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| 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.