Compare towns
Troy vs Jay vs Unity vs Burnham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Troy has the most people working from home (25.3%).
Jay has the highest household income ($70k).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Burnham has the most homeowners (87.8%).
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 | Troy | Jay | Unity | Burnham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 984 |
4,657Highest |
1,858 |
953Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
-4.8% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.3±13.6Highest 10% above ME |
39.5±5.1 12% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
48.4±3.2 8% above ME |
| Troy and Burnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.8%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Troy and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27%±4.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.2%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Troy and Burnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.7% ME: 36.2% |
29.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
20.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $44,583±$14kLowest 40% below ME |
$70,238±$19kHighest 6% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$59,261±$18k 21% below ME |
| Jay and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,000±$31kHighest 28% below ME |
$168,600±$27kLowest 43% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$178,100±$43k 40% below ME |
| Troy and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,255±$211 10% above ME |
$759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$1,308±$386Highest 15% above ME |
| Burnham and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,752Lowest 42% below ME |
$2,245 26% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,897 38% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.2%±44.5 ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
60.9%±49Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Burnham and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
13.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.4% ME: 74.3% |
82.7% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 50 minHighest 102% above ME |
21 min 13% below ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
22 min 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 25.3%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
17%±10.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Troy and Burnham 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 | — | #86 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 73 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Spruce Mountain High School | Ecology Learning Ctr | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
12.4Lowest |
— |
| 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.