Compare towns
Unity vs Calais 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%).
Calais has the most affordable homes ($111k median).
Somerville has the highest household income ($71k).
Palmyra has the most kids (29.2% 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 | Calais | Somerville | Palmyra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,858 |
3,097Highest |
837Lowest |
2,209 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% ME: +2.6% |
-1.4% ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
43.8±5.1Highest about the ME average |
33.5±11.3 25% below ME |
37.1±4.8 17% below ME |
| Calais 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% |
16.4%±4.7 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% |
24.1%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
16.7%±5.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Calais 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% |
25.3% ME: 36.2% |
25.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±1.6 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 |
$64,096±$10k 14% below ME |
$71,250±$15kHighest 5% below ME |
$60,543±$17kLowest 19% below ME |
| Somerville and Calais 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 |
$111,100±$36kLowest 63% below ME |
$218,100±$41kHighest 26% below ME |
$154,900±$34k 48% below ME |
| Somerville and Unity 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 |
$1,010±$199 11% below ME |
$1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
$733±$119Lowest 36% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,684 45% below ME |
$2,505 17% below ME |
$1,614Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13Lowest ME: 48.4% |
53.7%±20.6 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
47.2%±14.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Somerville and Calais 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% |
21.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
17% ME: 10.7% |
9.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
73.4% ME: 74.3% |
85.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older 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 |
16 minLowest 35% below ME |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
2.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3 ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Palmyra 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 | — | #48 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | Calais Public Schools | RSU 12 | — |
| High school in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | Calais Middle/High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.4Highest |
12.0Lowest |
— | — |
| 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.