Compare towns
Unity vs Jackson 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 shortest commute (21 min average).
Jackson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
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 | Jackson | Freedom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,858Highest |
567Lowest |
670 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
37.7±5.8 16% below ME |
40.1±2.7Highest 10% below ME |
| Freedom and Jackson 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% |
17.1%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Freedom and Jackson 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% |
17.5%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Freedom and Jackson 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% |
41.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
0.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$75,167±$19kHighest about the ME average |
$64,861±$12k 13% below ME |
| Jackson 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±$28k 30% below ME |
$231,500±$16kHighest 22% below ME |
$190,600±$69kLowest 36% below ME |
| Jackson and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $873±$73Highest 23% below ME |
$629±$12Lowest 45% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,510 17% below ME |
$2,651Highest 13% below ME |
$2,328Lowest 23% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
21.1%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Freedom 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% |
13.8% ME: 10.7% |
11.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.6% ME: 74.3% |
90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.3%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Jackson 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 |
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.