Compare towns
Unity vs Mount Desert 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%).
Mount Desert has the most expensive homes ($522k 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 | Mount Desert | Palmyra |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,858 |
1,671Lowest |
2,209Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
-3.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
37.1±4.8 17% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
29.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.7%±5.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1% ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME |
$60,543±$17kLowest 19% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$154,900±$34kLowest 48% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $873±$73 23% below ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
$733±$119Lowest 36% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,510 17% below ME |
$3,512Highest 16% above ME |
$1,614Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5Lowest 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% |
7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minHighest 14% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Desert 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 | Mount Desert Public Schools | — |
| 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.