Compare towns
Starks vs Union vs Unity
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
Union has the most kids (24.9% under 18).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
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 | Starks | Union | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 556Lowest |
2,663Highest |
1,858 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
41.6±5.3 7% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
| Starks and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Union and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
$80,724±$9kHighest 8% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
| Union and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
| Union and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$301 7% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
| Union and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
| Starks and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 33% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center |
| High school 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 |
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.