Compare towns
Unity vs Exeter vs Springfield vs Freedom
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%).
Exeter has the highest household income ($84k).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($123k median).
Freedom has the most kids (22.2% 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 | Exeter | Springfield | Freedom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,858Highest |
1,093 |
310Lowest |
670 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | -1.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
52.4±7 17% above ME |
40.1±2.7 10% below ME |
| Exeter and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Freedom and Springfield 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% |
23.9%±11.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.6%±5.4 ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Exeter and Freedom 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% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
17.3% ME: 36.2% |
23.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
0.6%±3.7 ME: 5.8% |
0.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
$60,833±$23kLowest 19% below ME |
$64,861±$12k 13% below ME |
| Exeter and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
$166,700±$39k 44% below ME |
$122,500±$28kLowest 59% below ME |
$190,600±$69k 36% below ME |
| Unity and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$995±$386Highest 13% below ME |
— | — |
| Exeter and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,602 47% below ME |
$1,067Lowest 65% below ME |
$2,328 23% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
— | 21.1%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Exeter 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% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
5.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.1% ME: 74.3% |
96.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
30 min 21% above ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
9.6%±5.2 ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Exeter 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 | — | — | — |
| High school in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | — | — | — |
| 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.