Compare towns
Unity vs Bowdoin vs Albion
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%).
Bowdoin has the highest household income ($91k).
Albion has the oldest population (median age 52.9).
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 | Bowdoin | Albion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,858Lowest |
3,188Highest |
2,204 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5% ME: +2.6% |
-1.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
44.3±10 about the ME average |
52.9±7.5Highest 18% above ME |
| Albion and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
12.5%±4.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Bowdoin and Unity 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% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
26.8%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
2.2%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$91,239±$13kHighest 22% above ME |
$62,361±$23kLowest 17% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$292,800±$71kHighest about the ME average |
$230,900±$31k 22% below ME |
| Bowdoin and Albion 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 |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,510 17% below ME |
$3,375Highest 11% above ME |
$1,987Lowest 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
46.2%±23.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Albion and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.3% ME: 10.7% |
11%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
34 minHighest 36% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.7%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Albion 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 | — | #28 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 49/MSAD 49 |
| 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 |
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.