Compare towns
Unity vs Monroe vs Freedom
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%).
Monroe has the highest household income ($81k).
Freedom has the most affordable homes ($191k median).
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 | Monroe | Freedom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,858Highest |
1,001 |
670Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.6% ME: +2.6% |
-1.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
43.5±7Highest about the ME average |
40.1±2.7 10% below ME |
| Monroe and Freedom 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% |
23.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Monroe and Freedom 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% |
22.6%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Monroe and Freedom 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% |
29.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±4.9 ME: 5.8% |
0.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$81,300±$7kHighest 9% above ME |
$64,861±$12k 13% below ME |
| Monroe and Freedom 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 |
$220,300±$57kHighest 26% below ME |
$190,600±$69kLowest 36% below ME |
| Monroe and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,165±$152Highest about the ME average |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$2,207Lowest 27% below ME |
$2,328 23% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
50.9%±47.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.1%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Monroe 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% |
11.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
32 min 28% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Monroe 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 | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.4 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.