Compare towns
Thorndike vs Freedom vs Unity
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%).
Freedom has the oldest population (median age 40.1).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
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 | Thorndike | Freedom | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,403 |
670Lowest |
1,858Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.1% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
40.1±2.7Highest 10% below ME |
27.5±2.2 39% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.2% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
0.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,438±$14kHighest 5% above ME |
$64,861±$12k 13% below ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
| Thorndike and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $205,600±$88k 31% below ME |
$190,600±$69kLowest 36% below ME |
$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
| Unity and Thorndike 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±$73Highest 23% below ME |
| Unity and Thorndike are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,537Highest 16% below ME |
$2,328Lowest 23% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36%±62.5 ME: 48.4% |
21.1%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Thorndike are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.5% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.2% ME: 74.3% |
90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 46% above ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike 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 | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center |
| High school in town | Mt View High School | — | Ecology Learning Ctr |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Lowest |
— | 12.4Highest |
| 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.