Compare towns
Unity vs Mapleton vs Bowdoin 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 most people working from home (15.8%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Bowdoin has the most expensive homes ($293k median).
Somerville has the most kids (28.8% 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 | Somerville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,858 |
1,884 |
3,188Highest |
837Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5% ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest 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 |
33.5±11.3 25% 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% |
28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Somerville 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% |
13.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Mapleton and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.4% ME: 36.2% |
25.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$91,239±$13k 22% above ME |
$71,250±$15k 5% 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±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$292,800±$71kHighest about the ME average |
$218,100±$41k 26% below ME |
| Bowdoin 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 |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
— | $1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,510 17% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,375Highest 11% above ME |
$2,505 17% 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% |
65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Somerville 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% |
17% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
85.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest 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 | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town | 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.