Compare towns
Unity vs Stow
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).
Stow has the oldest population (median age 57).
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 | Stow |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 1,858Highest |
535Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
57±10.5Highest 27% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.7%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Stow and Unity 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% |
37.9%±17.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6kHighest 16% below ME |
$42,204±$22kLowest 44% below ME |
| Unity and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$326,400±$42kHighest 10% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $873±$73 23% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,510Lowest 17% below ME |
$3,304Highest 9% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
20%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Stow 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% |
8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
96.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1998Highest 21 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
51 minHighest 109% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±12Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Stow 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 |
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.