Compare towns
Presque Isle vs Unity vs Paris
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Presque Isle has the shortest commute (14 min average).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Paris has the most people working from home (19.4%).
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 | Presque Isle | Unity | Paris |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,736Highest |
1,858Lowest |
5,317 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -9.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.1±3.5 about the ME average |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
48.2±5.6Highest 8% above ME |
| Paris and Presque Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.8%±5.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Presque Isle and Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.6%±5.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Paris and Presque Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.2% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
28.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±3.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $55,768±$6kLowest 25% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$75,137±$20kHighest about the ME average |
| Paris and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $147,200±$11kLowest 50% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$240,400±$57kHighest 19% below ME |
| Paris and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $904±$54Highest 21% below ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
— |
| Presque Isle and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,401Lowest 21% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$2,649Highest 13% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.3%±9.7 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62.3%±13.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Paris and Presque Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.5% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
60.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 41% below ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
22 minHighest 9% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.7%±3.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
19.4%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Paris and Unity 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 | #62 of 133 in ME | — | #114 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 17/MSAD 17 |
| High school in town | Presque Isle High School | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.7Highest |
12.4Lowest |
— |
| 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.