Compare towns
Unity vs Buxton vs Somerville 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 the most people working from home (15.8%).
Buxton has the most expensive homes ($357k median).
Somerville has the most homeowners (85.8%).
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 | Buxton | Somerville | Palmyra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,858 |
8,512Highest |
837Lowest |
2,209 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
45.5±3.9Highest about the ME average |
33.5±11.3 25% below ME |
37.1±4.8 17% below ME |
| Buxton and Palmyra 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% |
16.2%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
28.8%±7 ME: 18.1% |
29.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Palmyra 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% |
19.2%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
16.7%±5.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Buxton and Palmyra 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% |
30.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.7% ME: 36.2% |
13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$100,144±$21kHighest 34% above ME |
$71,250±$15k 5% below ME |
$60,543±$17kLowest 19% below ME |
| Buxton and Somerville 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 |
$356,800±$21kHighest 20% above ME |
$218,100±$41k 26% below ME |
$154,900±$34kLowest 48% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $873±$73 23% below ME |
$1,613±$266Highest 42% above ME |
$1,583±$265 39% above ME |
$733±$119Lowest 36% below ME |
| Buxton and Somerville 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 |
$3,422Highest 13% above ME |
$2,505 17% below ME |
$1,614Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±26.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
47.2%±14.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Somerville and Palmyra 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% |
2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17% ME: 10.7% |
9.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.3% ME: 74.3% |
85.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 14% below ME |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±3.1 ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Buxton 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 | — | #104 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | 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.