Compare towns
Unity vs Cherryfield vs Somerville
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 shortest commute (21 min average).
Cherryfield has the oldest population (median age 58.1).
Somerville has the most kids (28.8% 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 | Cherryfield | Somerville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,858Highest |
809Lowest |
837 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
58.1±4.2Highest 30% above ME |
33.5±11.3 25% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
11.6%±5.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32.4%±9.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1% ME: 36.2% |
21.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$37,115±$17kLowest 50% below ME |
$71,250±$15kHighest 5% below ME |
| Somerville and Unity 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 |
$195,800±$53kLowest 34% below ME |
$218,100±$41kHighest 26% 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 |
$428±$107Lowest 62% below ME |
$1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,950Lowest 36% below ME |
$2,505 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13Lowest ME: 48.4% |
60.5%±17.8 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Somerville and Cherryfield 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% |
26.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
17%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% ME: 74.3% |
66.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
18.2%±10.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Cherryfield 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 | Cherryfield Public Schools | 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 |
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.