Compare towns
Phillips vs Thorndike vs Unity
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Phillips has the oldest population (median age 49.7).
Thorndike has the most people working from home (44.7%).
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 | Phillips | Thorndike | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,094Lowest |
1,403 |
1,858Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.6% ME: +2.6% |
-13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.7±3.7Highest 11% above ME |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
27.5±2.2 39% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Phillips are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.3%±2.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $45,385±$12kLowest 39% below ME |
$78,438±$14kHighest 5% above ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
| Thorndike and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $190,800±$18kLowest 36% below ME |
$205,600±$88k 31% below ME |
$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
| Unity and Thorndike are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $483±$377Lowest 58% below ME |
$836±$317 27% below ME |
$873±$73Highest 23% below ME |
| Unity and Thorndike are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,582Highest 15% below ME |
$2,537 16% below ME |
$2,510Lowest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.4%±33 ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Phillips are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.3% ME: 74.3% |
87.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 8% below ME |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.8%±7 ME: 15.9% |
44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike and Phillips are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt View High School | Ecology Learning Ctr |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.7Lowest |
12.4Highest |
| 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.