Compare towns
Unity vs Hope vs Thorndike 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 renters (27.7% rent).
Hope has the most expensive homes ($373k median).
Thorndike has the most people working from home (44.7%).
Freedom has the most affordable homes ($191k 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 | Hope | Thorndike | Freedom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,858Highest |
1,748 |
1,403 |
670Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2 39% below ME |
44.6±3.1Highest about the ME average |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
40.1±2.7 10% below ME |
| Hope and Freedom 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% |
23.3%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 11.8%±3 ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Freedom and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.2% ME: 36.2% |
23.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
0.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME |
$78,438±$14k 5% above ME |
$64,861±$12k 13% below ME |
| Hope 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 |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
$205,600±$88k 31% below ME |
$190,600±$69kLowest 36% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $873±$73 23% below ME |
$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
$836±$317Lowest 27% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,510 17% below ME |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
$2,537 16% below ME |
$2,328Lowest 23% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5 ME: 48.4% |
21.1%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Hope 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% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.5% ME: 10.7% |
11.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.2% ME: 74.3% |
90.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 14% below ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike and Hope 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 | Hope Public Schools | 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 | 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.