Compare towns
Unity vs Levant vs Thorndike vs Somerville
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).
Levant has the most expensive homes ($269k median).
Thorndike has the most people working from home (44.7%).
Somerville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.5%).
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 | Levant | Thorndike | Somerville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,858 |
3,069Highest |
1,403 |
837Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% ME: +2.6% |
+3.1% ME: +2.6% |
-13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2 39% below ME |
39.7±2.2Highest 11% below ME |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
33.5±11.3 25% below ME |
| Levant and Somerville 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% |
19.8%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
28.8%±7 ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Somerville 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% |
18.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Levant and Somerville 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% |
21.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.2% ME: 36.2% |
25.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$86,071±$22kHighest 15% above ME |
$78,438±$14k 5% above ME |
$71,250±$15k 5% below ME |
| Levant 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 |
$268,500±$27kHighest 9% below ME |
$205,600±$88kLowest 31% below ME |
$218,100±$41k 26% below ME |
| Levant and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $873±$73 23% below ME |
$1,370±$120 20% above ME |
$836±$317Lowest 27% below ME |
$1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
| Somerville and Levant 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 |
$2,580Highest 15% below ME |
$2,537 16% below ME |
$2,505Lowest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
45.7%±14 ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Somerville and Levant 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% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
6.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.4% ME: 74.3% |
87.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1995Highest 18 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
31 min 27% above ME |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #124 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town | Mt View High School | None in town |
| 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.