Compare towns
Phillips vs Unity vs Pittston vs Troy
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 affordable homes ($191k median).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Pittston has the highest household income ($87k).
Troy has the most people working from home (25.3%).
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 | Pittston | Troy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,094 |
1,858 |
3,093Highest |
984Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.8% ME: +2.6% |
-1.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.7±3.7Highest 11% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
41.4±5.9 8% below ME |
49.3±13.6 10% above ME |
| Phillips and Troy 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% |
17.2%±7.4 ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 21.3%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±6.1 ME: 22.4% |
27%±4.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Troy 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% ME: 36.2% |
26.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $45,385±$12k 39% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$86,614±$18kHighest 16% above ME |
$44,583±$14kLowest 40% below ME |
| Pittston 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 |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$238,700±$66kHighest 20% below ME |
$213,000±$31k 28% below ME |
| Pittston and Troy 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 |
$1,080±$593 5% below ME |
$1,255±$211Highest 10% above ME |
| Troy and Pittston 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 |
$1,909 37% below ME |
$1,752Lowest 42% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.4%±33Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±34.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
53.2%±44.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Pittston and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.7% ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.3% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81% ME: 74.3% |
86.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 8% below ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
50 minHighest 102% above ME |
| Work from home | 16.8%±7 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
3.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
25.3%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Troy and Phillips are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #123 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town | None in town |
| 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.