Compare towns
Palmyra vs Temple vs Unity 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).
Temple has the most kids (32.8% under 18).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Porter has the oldest population (median age 40.9).
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 | Temple | Unity | Porter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,209Highest |
824Lowest |
1,858 |
1,746 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.1±4.8 17% below ME |
34±14 24% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% 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%±5.8 ME: 18.1% |
32.8%±7.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.8%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Temple 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% |
15%±6.3 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest 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% ME: 36.2% |
13.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
14% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $60,543±$17k 19% below ME |
$56,087±$2kLowest 25% below ME |
$62,857±$6kHighest 16% below ME |
$60,417±$9k 19% below ME |
| Unity 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 |
$210,200±$79k 29% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$226,100±$20kHighest 24% below ME |
| Porter and Temple 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 |
$1,458±$565Highest 28% above ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
— |
| Temple 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 |
$2,367 22% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,841 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.2%±14.9 ME: 48.4% |
73.3%±70.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
43.9%±8.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Temple 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% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
92.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
34 minHighest 37% above ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
32 min 30% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.5%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±8.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.5%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Porter 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 | 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.