Compare towns
Unity vs Mapleton vs Bowdoin 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Bowdoin has the most expensive homes ($293k median).
Palmyra has the most kids (29.2% 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 | Mapleton | Bowdoin | Palmyra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,858Lowest |
1,884 |
3,188Highest |
2,209 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5% ME: +2.6% |
-3.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
44.3±10Highest about the ME average |
37.1±4.8 17% below ME |
| Bowdoin and Mapleton 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% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
29.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Palmyra and Mapleton 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% |
18.3%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
16.7%±5.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Mapleton 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% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.4% ME: 36.2% |
13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$91,239±$13k 22% above ME |
$60,543±$17kLowest 19% below ME |
| Mapleton and Bowdoin 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 |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$292,800±$71kHighest about the ME average |
$154,900±$34kLowest 48% below ME |
| Bowdoin 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 |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
— | $733±$119 36% below ME |
| Unity and Palmyra 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 |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$3,375Highest 11% above ME |
$1,614Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest 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% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11% ME: 10.7% |
9.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1992 15 yrs newer than ME |
1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 14% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Bowdoin 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 | — | — | #28 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | — |
| High school in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town | 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.