Compare towns
Unity vs Patten vs Freedom vs Cornish
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).
Patten has the most people working from home (28.7%).
Freedom has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Cornish has the most expensive homes ($274k 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 | Patten | Freedom | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,858Highest |
1,154 |
670Lowest |
1,803 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.1% ME: +2.6% |
+7.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
57.8±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
40.1±2.7 10% below ME |
39±8.5 13% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
11.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Freedom and Cornish 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% |
38.5%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1% ME: 36.2% |
25.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.2% ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
0.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$51,484±$6kLowest 31% below ME |
$64,861±$12k 13% below ME |
$69,038±$4kHighest 8% below ME |
| Cornish 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 |
$127,600±$49kLowest 57% below ME |
$190,600±$69k 36% below ME |
$274,200±$84kHighest 8% below ME |
| Cornish and Unity 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 |
$389±$99Lowest 66% below ME |
— | $1,196±$148Highest 5% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,199Lowest 61% below ME |
$2,328 23% below ME |
$2,309 24% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
56%±64.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.1%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Patten and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.3% ME: 10.7% |
23.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
11.5% ME: 10.7% |
6.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.5% ME: 74.3% |
90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
31 min 27% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Patten 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 | — | — | — |
| High school in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | — | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.4 |
— | — | — |
| 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.