Compare towns
Somerville vs Steuben vs Unity vs Freedom
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Somerville has the most kids (28.8% under 18).
Steuben has the most affordable homes ($174k median).
Unity has the most people working from home (15.8%).
Freedom has the most homeowners (90.2%).
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 | Somerville | Steuben | Unity | Freedom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 837 |
1,388 |
1,858Highest |
670Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
-1.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 33.5±11.3 25% below ME |
40.1±8.5Highest 10% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
40.1±2.7Highest 10% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Somerville and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±1 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
18.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
23.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,250±$15k 5% below ME |
$76,466±$4kHighest about the ME average |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$64,861±$12k 13% below ME |
| Steuben and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,100±$41kHighest 26% below ME |
$173,900±$32kLowest 41% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$190,600±$69k 36% below ME |
| Somerville and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
$678±$319Lowest 40% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,505 17% below ME |
$2,029Lowest 33% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$2,328 23% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
26.3%±87.8 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
21.1%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Somerville and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17% ME: 10.7% |
5.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
11.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.8% ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
28 min 14% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Steuben are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 12 | RSU 24 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | — |
| High school in town | None 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 | 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.