Compare towns
Unity vs Sumner vs Somerville 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 the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Sumner has the oldest population (median age 56.1).
Somerville has the highest household income ($71k).
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 | Sumner | Somerville | Chesterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,858Highest |
845 |
837Lowest |
1,397 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% ME: +2.6% |
+5.9% ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
33.5±11.3 25% below ME |
37.8±4 16% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
28.8%±7 ME: 18.1% |
31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Chesterville and Somerville 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% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
15%±3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1% ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
$71,250±$15kHighest 5% below ME |
$61,635±$10k 18% below ME |
| Somerville 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±$28k 30% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$218,100±$41kHighest 26% below ME |
$214,000±$40k 28% below ME |
| Somerville and Chesterville 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 |
$1,088±$73 4% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$2,167Lowest 29% below ME |
$2,505 17% below ME |
$2,194 28% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5 ME: 48.4% |
21.8%±30.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Somerville 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% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17% ME: 10.7% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.8% ME: 74.3% |
86.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner 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 | RSU 10 | RSU 12 | — |
| High school in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town | 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.