Compare towns
Thorndike vs Gray vs Unity vs Sherman
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%).
Gray has the most expensive homes ($364k median).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Sherman has the most affordable homes ($115k median).
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 | Gray | Unity | Sherman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,403 |
8,429Highest |
1,858 |
947Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
27.5±2.2 39% below ME |
33.4±8.6 25% below ME |
| Gray and Sherman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
33.4%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Sherman 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% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3 ME: 22.4% |
21.2%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Sherman and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.2% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
13.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.3%±0.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,438±$14k 5% above ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$49,444±$7kLowest 34% below ME |
| Gray and Thorndike 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 |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$115,200±$14kLowest 61% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $836±$317 27% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$672±$329Lowest 41% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,537 16% below ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$1,328Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36%±62.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
46.7%±77.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Sherman 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% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
37.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.2% ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 46% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
22 min 11% below ME |
| Work from home | 44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
28.2%±12.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike and Sherman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #10 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | — |
| High school in town | Mt View High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Ecology Learning Ctr | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Lowest |
12.5Highest |
12.4 |
— |
| 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.