Compare towns
Unity vs Limerick vs Palmyra vs Thorndike
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).
Limerick has the most expensive homes ($269k median).
Palmyra has the most affordable homes ($155k median).
Thorndike has the most people working from home (44.7%).
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 | Limerick | Palmyra | Thorndike |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,858 |
3,400Highest |
2,209 |
1,403Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.1% ME: +2.6% |
-13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2 39% below ME |
40.4±9.2Highest 10% below ME |
37.1±4.8 17% below ME |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
| Limerick 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% |
18.7%±5.5 ME: 18.1% |
29.2%±5.8 ME: 18.1% |
49.8%±28.4Highest 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% |
17.1%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.7%±5.3 ME: 22.4% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Limerick 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% |
27.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$101,172±$15kHighest 35% above ME |
$60,543±$17kLowest 19% below ME |
$78,438±$14k 5% above ME |
| Limerick 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 |
$269,400±$29kHighest 9% below ME |
$154,900±$34kLowest 48% below ME |
$205,600±$88k 31% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $873±$73 23% below ME |
$1,758±$407Highest 54% above ME |
$733±$119Lowest 36% below ME |
$836±$317 27% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,510 17% below ME |
$2,520 17% below ME |
$1,614Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,537Highest 16% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.2 ME: 48.4% |
47.2%±14.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5Lowest 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% |
6.9% ME: 10.7% |
9.1% ME: 10.7% |
6.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
87.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 14% below ME |
38 minHighest 53% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
36 min 46% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
15.2%±6.7 ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
44.7%±35.6Highest 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.