Compare towns
Unity vs Jackson vs Thorndike 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 renters (27.7% rent).
Jackson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Thorndike has the most people working from home (44.7%).
Palmyra has the most affordable homes ($155k 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 | Jackson | Thorndike | Palmyra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,858 |
567Lowest |
1,403 |
2,209Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2 39% below ME |
37.7±5.8Highest 16% below ME |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
37.1±4.8 17% below ME |
| Jackson 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% |
17.1%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
29.2%±5.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Palmyra 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% |
17.5%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
16.7%±5.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Jackson 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% |
41.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.2% ME: 36.2% |
13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$75,167±$19k about the ME average |
$78,438±$14kHighest 5% above ME |
$60,543±$17kLowest 19% below ME |
| Thorndike and Jackson 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 |
$205,600±$88k 31% below ME |
$154,900±$34kLowest 48% 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 |
$836±$317 27% below ME |
$733±$119 36% below ME |
| Unity and Thorndike are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,510 17% below ME |
$2,651Highest 13% below ME |
$2,537 16% below ME |
$1,614Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5 ME: 48.4% |
47.2%±14.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Palmyra and Unity 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% |
6.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.6% ME: 74.3% |
87.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1993 16 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 14% below ME |
35 min 41% above ME |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
15.3%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike 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 | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — |
| High school in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | — | 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.