Compare towns
Unity vs Mount Desert 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 youngest population (median age 27.5).
Mount Desert has the most expensive homes ($522k 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 | Mount Desert | Somerville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,858Highest |
1,671 |
837Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
33.5±11.3 25% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME |
$71,250±$15k 5% below ME |
| Mount Desert 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±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$218,100±$41k 26% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,341±$89 18% above ME |
$1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
| Somerville and Mount Desert 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 |
$3,512Highest 16% above ME |
$2,505Lowest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5Lowest 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% |
7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
85.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 14% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest 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 | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | 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 |
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.