Compare towns
Sullivan vs Unity vs Union vs Strong
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Union has the highest household income ($81k).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
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 | Sullivan | Unity | Union | Strong |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,246Lowest |
1,858 |
2,663Highest |
1,249 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.1±15 5% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
41.6±5.3 7% below ME |
47.5±8.9Highest 6% above ME |
| Strong and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.5%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Sullivan and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,643±$14k 20% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$80,724±$9kHighest 8% above ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $222,000±$33k 25% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
| Union and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $883±$114 22% below ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
| Union and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,228 27% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
$1,950Lowest 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.9%±23.6 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.6% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 7% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.6%±7.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Union 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 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| High school in town | Sumner Memorial High School | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.5Lowest |
12.4Highest |
— | — |
| 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.