Compare towns
Temple vs Unity vs Wales
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Temple has the most kids (32.8% under 18).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Wales has the most people working from home (22.2%).
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 | Temple | Unity | Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 824Lowest |
1,858 |
1,924Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.2% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 34±14 24% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
35.1±4.2Highest 22% below ME |
| Wales and Temple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 32.8%±7.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
30.2%±6 ME: 18.1% |
| Temple and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15%±6.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3 ME: 22.4% |
11%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Temple and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±3.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,087±$2kLowest 25% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$77,004±$5kHighest 3% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,200±$79k 29% below ME |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$250,400±$28kHighest 16% below ME |
| Wales and Temple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,458±$565Highest 28% above ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,154±$64 about the ME average |
| Temple and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,367Lowest 22% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$2,578Highest 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.3%±70.5 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Lowest ME: 48.4% |
83.3%±37.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Wales and Temple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
25.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 37% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
28 min 14% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.5%±8.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
22.2%±13.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wales and Unity 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 | RSU 04 |
| High school in town | — | Ecology Learning Ctr | Oak Hill High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4Highest |
11.9Lowest |
| 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.