Compare towns
Somerville vs Unity vs Jefferson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Somerville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.5%).
Unity has the most people working from home (15.8%).
Jefferson has the most expensive homes ($312k median).
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 | Unity | Jefferson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 837Lowest |
1,858 |
2,647Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
+5.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 33.5±11.3 25% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
38.1±4.9Highest 15% below ME |
| Jefferson and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
28%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Somerville and Jefferson 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% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Jefferson and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.7% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
27.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.6%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,250±$15k 5% below ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$85,078±$17kHighest 14% above ME |
| Jefferson 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±$41k 26% below ME |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$311,600±$35kHighest 5% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,120±$130 about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,505Lowest 17% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$2,587Highest 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
29.8%±25.1Lowest 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% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.9%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Jefferson 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 | — | — | #45 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 12 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | Jefferson Public Schools |
| High school in town | None 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.