Compare towns
Unity vs Lamoine vs Palmyra vs Chesterville
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 youngest population (median age 27.5).
Lamoine has the most expensive homes ($325k median).
Palmyra has the most affordable homes ($155k median).
Chesterville has the most kids (31.3% 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 | Lamoine | Palmyra | Chesterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,858 |
1,782 |
2,209Highest |
1,397Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.4% ME: +2.6% |
-3.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
49.6±7.3Highest 11% above ME |
37.1±4.8 17% below ME |
37.8±4 16% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15%±3.8 ME: 18.1% |
29.2%±5.8 ME: 18.1% |
31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Chesterville and Palmyra 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% |
25.5%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.7%±5.3 ME: 22.4% |
15%±3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1% ME: 36.2% |
34.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
20.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$88,542±$15kHighest 18% above ME |
$60,543±$17kLowest 19% below ME |
$61,635±$10k 18% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$324,800±$43kHighest 10% above ME |
$154,900±$34kLowest 48% below ME |
$214,000±$40k 28% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $873±$73 23% below ME |
$1,174±$158Highest 3% above ME |
$733±$119Lowest 36% below ME |
$1,088±$73 4% below ME |
| Lamoine and Chesterville 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 |
$2,303 24% below ME |
$1,614Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,194 28% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
23.3%±16.4 ME: 48.4% |
47.2%±14.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.8%±30.8Lowest 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% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.1% ME: 10.7% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.4% ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
86.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 14% below ME |
22 min 11% below ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
21.4%±5Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Lamoine 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 | Lamoine Public Schools | — | — |
| High school in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town | — | — |
| 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.