Compare towns
Unity vs Buxton 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%).
Buxton has the most expensive homes ($357k median).
Thorndike has the most kids (49.8% 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 | Buxton | Thorndike |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,858 |
8,512Highest |
1,403Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
-13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2 39% below ME |
45.5±3.9Highest about the ME average |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 11.8%±3 ME: 22.4% |
19.2%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$100,144±$21kHighest 34% above ME |
$78,438±$14k 5% above ME |
| Buxton and Thorndike 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 |
$205,600±$88kLowest 31% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $873±$73 23% below ME |
$1,613±$266Highest 42% above ME |
$836±$317Lowest 27% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,510Lowest 17% below ME |
$3,422Highest 13% above ME |
$2,537 16% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±26.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Thorndike 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% |
6.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.3% ME: 74.3% |
87.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
34 min 39% above ME |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±3.1Lowest 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 | — | #104 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | 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.