Compare towns
Unity vs Porter vs Somerville vs Freedom
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 shortest commute (21 min average).
Porter has the most expensive homes ($226k median).
Somerville has the most kids (28.8% under 18).
Freedom has the most affordable homes ($191k 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 | Porter | Somerville | Freedom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,858Highest |
1,746 |
837 |
670Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% ME: +2.6% |
+6.8% ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
40.9±7.9Highest 9% below ME |
33.5±11.3 25% below ME |
40.1±2.7 10% below ME |
| Porter and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.8%±4 ME: 18.1% |
28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Somerville and Freedom 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% |
20.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Freedom and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1% ME: 36.2% |
14%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
0.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$60,417±$9kLowest 19% below ME |
$71,250±$15kHighest 5% below ME |
$64,861±$12k 13% below ME |
| Somerville 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 |
$226,100±$20kHighest 24% below ME |
$218,100±$41k 26% below ME |
$190,600±$69kLowest 36% below ME |
| Porter and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
— | $1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,841Lowest 39% below ME |
$2,505 17% below ME |
$2,328 23% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
43.9%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.1%±100Lowest 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% |
9.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17% ME: 10.7% |
11.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
85.8% ME: 74.3% |
90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
32 minHighest 30% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.5%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Porter 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 12 | — |
| 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 | 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.