Compare towns
Palmyra vs Smithfield vs Unity
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 kids (29.2% under 18).
Smithfield has the highest household income ($108k).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
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 | Palmyra | Smithfield | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,209Highest |
856Lowest |
1,858 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% ME: +2.6% |
-10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.1±4.8 17% below ME |
55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 29.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
10%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 16.7%±5.3 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,543±$17kLowest 19% below ME |
$107,917±$27kHighest 44% above ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $154,900±$34kLowest 48% below ME |
$242,800±$15kHighest 18% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
| Smithfield and Unity 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 |
$1,109±$358Highest about the ME average |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
| Smithfield and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,614Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,866Highest 6% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.2%±14.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±45.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
| Palmyra and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.1% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
88.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
33 minHighest 32% above ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 7.5%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Smithfield and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center |
| High school 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.