Compare towns
Unity vs Sumner vs Somerville vs Thorndike
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).
Sumner has the oldest population (median age 56.1).
Somerville has the most expensive homes ($218k median).
Thorndike has the most people working from home (44.7%).
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 | Thorndike |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,858Highest |
845 |
837Lowest |
1,403 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% ME: +2.6% |
+5.9% ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2 39% below ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
33.5±11.3 25% below ME |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
28.8%±7 ME: 18.1% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 11.8%±3 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
11.7%±6Lowest 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% |
25.2% 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% |
1.5%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
$71,250±$15k 5% below ME |
$78,438±$14kHighest 5% above ME |
| Thorndike and Somerville 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 |
$205,600±$88k 31% below ME |
| Somerville 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 |
— | $1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
$836±$317Lowest 27% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,510 17% below ME |
$2,167Lowest 29% below ME |
$2,505 17% below ME |
$2,537Highest 16% 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% |
36%±62.5Lowest 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% |
6.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.8% ME: 74.3% |
87.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
36 min 46% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8 ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike and Sumner 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 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town | None in town | Mt View High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.4Highest |
— | — | 11.7Lowest |
| 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.