Compare towns
Unity vs Mapleton vs Ludlow 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).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Ludlow has the most affordable homes ($134k 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 | Mapleton | Ludlow | Thorndike |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,858 |
1,884Highest |
444Lowest |
1,403 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
— | -13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2 39% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
46.1±5.8Highest about the ME average |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
| Ludlow 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% |
22.7%±5.9 ME: 18.1% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Ludlow 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% |
18.3%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
12.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Mapleton and Ludlow 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% |
16.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$62,500±$21kLowest 16% below ME |
$78,438±$14k 5% above ME |
| Mapleton 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±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$133,900±$56kLowest 55% below ME |
$205,600±$88k 31% below ME |
| Unity and Thorndike 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 |
$988±$111Highest 13% below ME |
$836±$317 27% below ME |
| Ludlow and Unity 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 |
$1,655Lowest 45% below ME |
$2,537Highest 16% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±94.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Ludlow 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% ME: 10.7% |
15.3% ME: 10.7% |
6.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
90.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 14% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
9.8%±8Lowest 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 79/MSAD 01 | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town | — | 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.