Compare towns
Porter vs Unity
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Porter has the oldest population (median age 40.9).
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 | Porter | Unity |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 1,746Lowest |
1,858Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.9±7.9Highest 9% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.8%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Porter and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 14%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $60,417±$9kLowest 19% below ME |
$62,857±$6kHighest 16% below ME |
| Unity and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $226,100±$20kHighest 24% below ME |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
| Porter and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $873±$73 23% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,841Lowest 39% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±8.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 9.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 30% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.5%±5.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest 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 |
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.

