Compare towns
Unity vs Newry vs Freedom 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).
Newry has the oldest population (median age 61.1).
Freedom has the most affordable homes ($191k 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 | Newry | Freedom | Thorndike |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,858Highest |
177Lowest |
670 |
1,403 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -1.1% ME: +2.6% |
-13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2 39% below ME |
61.1±5Highest 36% above ME |
40.1±2.7 10% below ME |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
13.6%±12.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Freedom 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% |
42.4%±14.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
37.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.2% ME: 36.2% |
25.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
0.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$67,000±$23k 10% below ME |
$64,861±$12k 13% below ME |
$78,438±$14kHighest 5% above ME |
| Thorndike and Newry 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 |
$307,700±$69kHighest 4% above ME |
$190,600±$69kLowest 36% below ME |
$205,600±$88k 31% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $873±$73 23% below ME |
$1,125±$666Highest about the ME average |
— | $836±$317Lowest 27% below ME |
| Newry 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 |
$2,438 20% below ME |
$2,328Lowest 23% below ME |
$2,537Highest 16% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±100 ME: 48.4% |
21.1%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Thorndike 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% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.5% ME: 10.7% |
6.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.7% ME: 74.3% |
90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
32 min 29% above ME |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±9.6 ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±3.9Lowest 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 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | — | — | 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.