Compare towns
Troy vs Knox vs Phillips vs Unity
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%).
Knox has the most affordable homes ($160k median).
Phillips has the oldest population (median age 49.7).
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 | Troy | Knox | Phillips | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 984 |
825Lowest |
1,094 |
1,858Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
+0.6% ME: +2.6% |
-12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.3±13.6 10% above ME |
41.1±7.9 8% below ME |
49.7±3.7Highest 11% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
| Phillips and Troy 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% |
13.9%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 27%±4.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.3%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
21.3%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Troy and Phillips 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% |
26%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.6%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $44,583±$14kLowest 40% below ME |
$64,821±$9kHighest 13% below ME |
$45,385±$12k 39% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
| Knox 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 |
$159,600±$26kLowest 46% below ME |
$190,800±$18k 36% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% 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 |
$1,375±$47Highest 21% above ME |
$483±$377Lowest 58% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
| Knox and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,752 42% below ME |
$1,610Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,582Highest 15% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.2%±44.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
11.3%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.4%±33 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
| Troy and Unity 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% |
8.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.7% ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.1% ME: 74.3% |
83.3% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 50 minHighest 102% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
23 min 8% below ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 25.3%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±7.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.8%±7 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Troy and Phillips 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 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 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.