Compare towns
Steuben vs Unity vs Chesterville vs Porter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Steuben has the highest household income ($76k).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Chesterville has the most kids (31.3% under 18).
Porter has the most expensive homes ($226k 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 | Steuben | Unity | Chesterville | Porter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,388Lowest |
1,858Highest |
1,397 |
1,746 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.2% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±8.5 10% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
37.8±4 16% below ME |
40.9±7.9Highest 9% below ME |
| Porter and Steuben are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.4%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.8%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Chesterville and Steuben are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.9%±1 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
15%±3 ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.9% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.4% ME: 36.2% |
14%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $76,466±$4kHighest about the ME average |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$61,635±$10k 18% below ME |
$60,417±$9kLowest 19% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $173,900±$32kLowest 41% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$214,000±$40k 28% below ME |
$226,100±$20kHighest 24% below ME |
| Porter and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $678±$319Lowest 40% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$1,088±$73Highest 4% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,029 33% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$2,194 28% below ME |
$1,841Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.3%±87.8 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.8%±30.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
43.9%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
9.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
86.4% ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 14% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
32 minHighest 30% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.5%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 24 | 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 | 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.