Compare towns
Unity vs Benton vs Somerville vs Chesterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Unity has the most people working from home (15.8%).
Benton has the most affordable homes ($177k median).
Somerville has the highest household income ($71k).
Chesterville has the most kids (31.3% under 18).
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 | Unity | Benton | Somerville | Chesterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,858 |
2,770Highest |
837Lowest |
1,397 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% ME: +2.6% |
-0.6% ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
42.8±6Highest 4% below ME |
33.5±11.3 25% below ME |
37.8±4 16% below ME |
| Benton and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
28.8%±7 ME: 18.1% |
31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Chesterville and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21%±3.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
15%±3 ME: 22.4% |
| Benton and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1% ME: 36.2% |
21.2% ME: 36.2% |
25.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$61,437±$5kLowest 18% below ME |
$71,250±$15kHighest 5% below ME |
$61,635±$10k 18% below ME |
| Somerville and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$176,700±$23kLowest 40% below ME |
$218,100±$41kHighest 26% below ME |
$214,000±$40k 28% below ME |
| Somerville and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,110±$123 about the ME average |
$1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
$1,088±$73 4% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,758Lowest 42% below ME |
$2,505 17% below ME |
$2,194 28% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.8%±30.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17% ME: 10.7% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
85.8% ME: 74.3% |
86.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 14% below ME |
20 minLowest 21% below ME |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±4.9 ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Chesterville 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 | — | #85 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 49/MSAD 49 | RSU 12 | — |
| High school in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.