Compare towns
Unity vs Mapleton vs Brownfield 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 highest household income ($92k).
Brownfield has the most expensive homes ($288k 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 | Brownfield | Somerville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,858 |
1,884Highest |
1,830 |
837Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.1% ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
41.8±6Highest 7% below ME |
39.9±6.8 11% below ME |
33.5±11.3 25% below ME |
| Mapleton and Brownfield 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% |
26.7%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Somerville and Brownfield 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%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±1.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Brownfield and Mapleton 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% |
25.3% 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% |
0.7%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$60,889±$5kLowest 19% below ME |
$71,250±$15k 5% below ME |
| Mapleton and Somerville 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 |
$287,500±$36kHighest 3% below ME |
$218,100±$41k 26% below ME |
| Brownfield 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 |
$1,617±$554Highest 42% above ME |
$1,583±$265 39% above ME |
| Brownfield and Somerville 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,976Highest about the ME average |
$2,505 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
61.8%±43.7 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Somerville and Brownfield 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% ME: 10.7% |
8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
87.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
44 minHighest 80% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
9.5%±4.5 ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Mapleton 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 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 72/MSAD 72 | 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.