Compare towns
Standish vs Unity vs Steep Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Standish has the most expensive homes ($336k median).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Steep Falls has the most kids (22.9% under 18).
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 | Standish | Unity | Steep Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,662Highest |
1,858Lowest |
1,861 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.5±2.8 10% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
44.1±6.5Highest about the ME average |
| Steep Falls and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.1 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±9.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Steep Falls and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±2.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3 ME: 22.4% |
9.7%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Standish and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
14.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.6%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,593±$15kHighest 40% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$80,280±$33k 7% above ME |
| Standish and Steep Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $336,000±$18kHighest 13% above ME |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$243,400±$31k 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $983±$453 14% below ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,516±$1kHighest 33% above ME |
| Steep Falls and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,005 about the ME average |
$2,510Lowest 17% below ME |
$3,273Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.4%±22.3 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Lowest ME: 48.4% |
66.4%±36.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Steep Falls and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 20% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
31 minHighest 25% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.6%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
4%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Standish 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 | #18 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | — |
| High school in town | Bonny Eagle High School | Ecology Learning Ctr | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
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.