Compare towns
Stow vs Unity vs Stoneham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stow has the most expensive homes ($326k median).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Stoneham has the most people working from home (40.7%).
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 | Stow | Unity | Stoneham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 535 |
1,858Highest |
271Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +9.2% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 57±10.5 27% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
60.6±7.1Highest 35% above ME |
| Stoneham and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
5.9%±7.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Stow and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 37.9%±17.8 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
41%±17.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Stoneham and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.4% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
37.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
14.8%±13.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Unity and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $42,204±$22kLowest 44% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$63,750±$27kHighest 15% below ME |
| Stoneham and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $326,400±$42kHighest 10% above ME |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$226,200±$32k 24% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,125±$383Highest about the ME average |
| Stoneham and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,304Highest 9% above ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$1,426Lowest 53% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
66.7%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Stoneham and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1998Highest 21 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 51 minHighest 109% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.7%±12 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
40.7%±15.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Stoneham and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | — |
| High school 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.