Compare towns
Unity vs Benton vs Thorndike
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Benton has the oldest population (median age 42.8).
Thorndike has the most people working from home (44.7%).
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 | Thorndike |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,858 |
2,770Highest |
1,403Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.6% ME: +2.6% |
-13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2 39% below ME |
42.8±6Highest 4% below ME |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11.8%±3 ME: 22.4% |
21%±3.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1% ME: 36.2% |
21.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$61,437±$5kLowest 18% below ME |
$78,438±$14kHighest 5% above ME |
| Thorndike 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±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
$176,700±$23kLowest 40% below ME |
$205,600±$88k 31% 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 | $873±$73 23% below ME |
$1,110±$123Highest about the ME average |
$836±$317Lowest 27% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,510 17% below ME |
$1,758Lowest 42% below ME |
$2,537Highest 16% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Benton and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10% ME: 10.7% |
6.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
87.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 14% below ME |
20 minLowest 21% below ME |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike and Unity 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 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town | Mt View High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.4Highest |
— | 11.7Lowest |
| 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.