Compare towns
Thorndike vs Baldwin 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
Thorndike has the most people working from home (44.7%).
Baldwin has the oldest population (median age 50.6).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Wales has the most homeowners (91.4%).
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 | Thorndike | Baldwin | Unity | Wales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,403 |
1,170Lowest |
1,858 |
1,924Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.3% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
50.6±4.6Highest 13% above ME |
27.5±2.2 39% below ME |
35.1±4.2 22% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
12.1%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
30.2%±6 ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 11.7%±6 ME: 22.4% |
27.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3 ME: 22.4% |
11%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.7% ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
15.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±3.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,438±$14kHighest 5% above ME |
$68,045±$8k 9% below ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$77,004±$5k 3% above ME |
| Thorndike and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $205,600±$88kLowest 31% below ME |
$263,200±$38kHighest 11% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$250,400±$28k 16% below ME |
| Baldwin and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $836±$317Lowest 27% below ME |
— | $873±$73 23% below ME |
$1,154±$64Highest about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,537 16% below ME |
$2,540 16% below ME |
$2,510Lowest 17% below ME |
$2,578Highest 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36%±62.5 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±42.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
83.3%±37.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Wales and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.5% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
25.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.2% ME: 74.3% |
89% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 46% above ME |
32 min 32% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
28 min 14% above ME |
| Work from home | 44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
22.2%±13.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 04 |
| High school in town | Mt View High School | — | Ecology Learning Ctr | Oak Hill High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Lowest |
— | 12.4Highest |
11.9 |
| 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.