Compare towns
Unity vs Patten vs Palmyra vs Chesterville
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%).
Patten has the most people working from home (28.7%).
Palmyra has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Chesterville has the most kids (31.3% 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 | Patten | Palmyra | Chesterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,858 |
1,154Lowest |
2,209Highest |
1,397 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.1% ME: +2.6% |
-1.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
57.8±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
37.1±4.8 17% below ME |
37.8±4 16% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
11.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
29.2%±5.8 ME: 18.1% |
31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Chesterville and Palmyra 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% |
16.7%±5.3 ME: 22.4% |
15%±3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1% ME: 36.2% |
25.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
20.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6kHighest 16% below ME |
$51,484±$6kLowest 31% below ME |
$60,543±$17k 19% below ME |
$61,635±$10k 18% below ME |
| Unity and Chesterville 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 |
$154,900±$34k 48% below ME |
$214,000±$40kHighest 28% below ME |
| Chesterville 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 |
$733±$119 36% below ME |
$1,088±$73Highest 4% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,199Lowest 61% below ME |
$1,614 47% below ME |
$2,194 28% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
56%±64.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
47.2%±14.9 ME: 48.4% |
21.8%±30.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Patten and Palmyra 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% |
9.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.5% ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
86.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 14% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest 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.