Compare towns
Unity vs Thomaston vs Albion vs Somerville
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).
Thomaston has the shortest commute (14 min average).
Somerville has the most kids (28.8% 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 | Thomaston | Albion | Somerville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,858 |
2,769Highest |
2,204 |
837Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% ME: +2.6% |
-1.5% ME: +2.6% |
-1.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
58.1±6.6Highest 30% above ME |
52.9±7.5 18% above ME |
33.5±11.3 25% below ME |
| Thomaston and Albion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
12.5%±4.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Somerville and Thomaston 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% |
35.5%±8.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.8%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Thomaston and Albion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.4% ME: 36.2% |
25.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.2%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$56,435±$13kLowest 24% below ME |
$62,361±$23k 17% below ME |
$71,250±$15kHighest 5% 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±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$271,700±$10kHighest 8% below ME |
$230,900±$31k 22% below ME |
$218,100±$41k 26% below ME |
| Thomaston and Albion 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 |
$1,262±$343 11% above ME |
— | $1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
| Somerville and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,510 17% below ME |
$4,487Highest 48% above ME |
$1,987Lowest 35% below ME |
$2,505 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13Lowest ME: 48.4% |
60.5%±23.5 ME: 48.4% |
46.2%±23.3 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Somerville and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.3% ME: 10.7% |
6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
17% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
73.9% ME: 74.3% |
79% ME: 74.3% |
85.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 14% below ME |
14 minLowest 45% below ME |
34 minHighest 36% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.4%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
15.7%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Albion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #99 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 13 | RSU 49/MSAD 49 | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town | 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.