Compare towns
Unity vs Ripley vs Palmyra
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 people working from home (15.8%).
Ripley has the oldest population (median age 47.7).
Palmyra has the most kids (29.2% 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 | Ripley | Palmyra |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,858 |
436Lowest |
2,209Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -3.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
47.7±5.3Highest 6% above ME |
37.1±4.8 17% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±6.5 ME: 18.1% |
29.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.7%±4.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.7%±5.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Ripley and Palmyra are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
19.4% ME: 36.2% |
13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$64,821±$13kHighest 13% below ME |
$60,543±$17kLowest 19% below ME |
| Ripley and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
$144,300±$33kLowest 51% below ME |
$154,900±$34k 48% below ME |
| Unity and Palmyra 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 |
$1,091±$281Highest 4% below ME |
$733±$119Lowest 36% below ME |
| Ripley and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,270Lowest 58% below ME |
$1,614 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
11.5%±73.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
47.2%±14.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Palmyra 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% |
11.9% ME: 10.7% |
9.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 14% below ME |
32 minHighest 28% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±6.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Palmyra 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 |
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.