Compare towns
Somerville vs Unity vs Waldo
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).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Waldo has the oldest population (median age 37.5).
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 | Waldo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 837Lowest |
1,858Highest |
926 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 33.5±11.3 25% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
37.5±9.6Highest 16% below ME |
| Waldo 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% |
20.2%±4.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Somerville and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.7%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
12.2%±1.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Somerville and Waldo 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% |
36.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,250±$15k 5% below ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$71,458±$21kHighest 4% below ME |
| Waldo 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 |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$208,000±$41k 30% below ME |
| Somerville and Waldo 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 |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,150±$691 about the ME average |
| Somerville and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,505 17% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±58.5 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Lowest ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo and Somerville 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% |
10.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 9% above ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 12 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | Waldo-Region 7 |
| 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.