Compare towns
Randolph vs Unity vs West Paris
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Randolph has the most affordable homes ($174k median).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
West Paris has the most people working from home (23.8%).
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 | Randolph | Unity | West Paris |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,610Lowest |
1,858Highest |
1,808 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.6% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.6±3.4Highest 11% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
46±7.9 about the ME average |
| Randolph and West Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.7%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
14.3%±3.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| West Paris and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Randolph and West Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
23.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,574±$16kHighest 11% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$56,324±$5kLowest 25% below ME |
| Randolph and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $174,300±$21kLowest 41% below ME |
$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
$193,000±$20k 35% below ME |
| Unity and West Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,186±$207Highest 4% above ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$838±$333Lowest 26% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,160 29% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$2,083Lowest 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.3%±8.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
61.5%±34.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| West Paris and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
24.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.5% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1973 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 7% below ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
32 minHighest 32% above ME |
| Work from home | 4.3%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
23.8%±18.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| West Paris and Unity 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 | RSU 17/MSAD 17 |
| High school in town | — | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town |
| 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.