Compare towns
Palmyra vs Somerville vs Porter
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).
Somerville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.5%).
Porter has the most people working from home (15.5%).
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 | Somerville | Porter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,209Highest |
837Lowest |
1,746 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.1±4.8 17% below ME |
33.5±11.3Lowest 25% below ME |
40.9±7.9Highest 9% below ME |
| Porter and Palmyra are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 29.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
28.8%±7 ME: 18.1% |
16.8%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Palmyra and Somerville 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% |
13.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Porter 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% |
25.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
14% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Palmyra and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,543±$17k 19% below ME |
$71,250±$15kHighest 5% below ME |
$60,417±$9kLowest 19% below ME |
| Somerville and Palmyra 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 |
$218,100±$41k 26% below ME |
$226,100±$20kHighest 24% below ME |
| Porter and Somerville 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 |
$1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,614Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,505Highest 17% below ME |
$1,841 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.2%±14.9 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
43.9%±8.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Somerville and Palmyra 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% |
17%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.8% ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
32 minHighest 30% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.5%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.5%±5.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Porter and Palmyra are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 12 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| 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.