Compare towns
Unity vs Brownfield vs Troy vs Palmyra
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%).
Brownfield has the most expensive homes ($288k median).
Troy has the most people working from home (25.3%).
Palmyra has the most affordable homes ($155k median).
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 | Brownfield | Troy | Palmyra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,858 |
1,830 |
984Lowest |
2,209Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.1% ME: +2.6% |
-1.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
39.9±6.8 11% below ME |
49.3±13.6Highest 10% above ME |
37.1±4.8 17% below ME |
| Troy and Brownfield 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% |
26.7%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±7 ME: 18.1% |
29.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Palmyra and Brownfield 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% |
18.5%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
27%±4.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.7%±5.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1% ME: 36.2% |
25.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.7% ME: 36.2% |
13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6kHighest 16% below ME |
$60,889±$5k 19% below ME |
$44,583±$14kLowest 40% below ME |
$60,543±$17k 19% below ME |
| Unity and Brownfield 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 |
$287,500±$36kHighest 3% below ME |
$213,000±$31k 28% below ME |
$154,900±$34kLowest 48% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $873±$73 23% below ME |
$1,617±$554Highest 42% above ME |
$1,255±$211 10% above ME |
$733±$119Lowest 36% below ME |
| Brownfield and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,510 17% below ME |
$2,976Highest about the ME average |
$1,752 42% below ME |
$1,614Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13Lowest ME: 48.4% |
61.8%±43.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
53.2%±44.5 ME: 48.4% |
47.2%±14.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Brownfield and Troy 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% |
8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
86.4% ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 14% below ME |
44 min 80% above ME |
50 minHighest 102% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
9.5%±4.5 ME: 15.9% |
25.3%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Troy and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 72/MSAD 72 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — |
| 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.