Compare towns
Phillips vs Unity vs Burnham
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 most kids (20.7% under 18).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Burnham has the most affordable homes ($178k median).
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 | Unity | Burnham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,094 |
1,858Highest |
953Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.7±3.7Highest 11% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
48.4±3.2 8% above ME |
| Phillips and Burnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.8%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Phillips and Burnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.3%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.2%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Burnham and Phillips are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $45,385±$12kLowest 39% below ME |
$62,857±$6kHighest 16% below ME |
$59,261±$18k 21% below ME |
| Unity and Burnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $190,800±$18k 36% below ME |
$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
$178,100±$43kLowest 40% below ME |
| Unity and Phillips 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 |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$1,308±$386Highest 15% above ME |
| Burnham and Unity 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 |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$1,897Lowest 38% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.4%±33Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
60.9%±49Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Burnham and Unity 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% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
13.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.3% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 8% below ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
22 min 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.8%±7 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17%±10.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Burnham 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 · Ecology Learning Center | — |
| High school in town | None 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.