Photo: InAweofGod'sCreation · CC BY 2.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Unity is healthier than 70%
Unity differs from Maine on 20 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 7 better, 13 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 04988. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Unity
Mental distress runs high in Unity
1 in 4 adults are in frequent mental distress (23.6%), vs 17.7% across Maine. Depression is above the state too: 32.5%, vs 26.9% across Maine. Mind & connection ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Unity
1 in 6 adults worry about having enough food (15.4%), vs 10.7% across Maine. No reliable transportation (11.5% vs 7.8%) and housing insecurity (13.1% vs 9.8%) are higher too. 20.5% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14.3% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in Unity
55.5% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 63.8% across Maine. Among those 65 and older, 19.1% have lost all their teeth (Maine 14.8%). Checkups ↓
Unity is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Unity is healthier than 48%. Against the 9,575 towns with similar household incomes ($47K–$79K), it’s healthier than 70%. Health Grade ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Maine figure falls outside Unity’s likely range; Unity’s figures come from ZIP code 04988, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind Unity’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Unity is healthier than 48% of U.S. towns. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 90% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (near the bottom of U.S. towns).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Unity’s median household income is $62,857; among the 9,575 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($47K–$79K), it’s healthier than 70%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Unity compares well: high blood pressure, 28.2% (U.S. 34.4%); high cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years), 32.4% (U.S. 37.1%); cancer, other than skin cancer, 6.9% (U.S. 7.9%).
How Unity adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Unity runs above Maine.
2 in 5 Unity adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
20.5% of Unity adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Maine.
Keeping up with care
Share of Unity adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maine.
Out of every 100 Unity adults…
Unity runs below ME on 7 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of Unity residents are 65 or older, vs 22% across Maine. Heart disease, arthritis and stroke run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Unity
No hospital or community health center in Unity itself. These are the nearest.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Unity; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Everyday habits, side by side with Maine
Share of adults, with the Maine figure marked.
23 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves
Unity and the towns around it
Unity has the best Health Grade of the 3 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Unity adults live with a disability (Maine 32.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Unity
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Unity is better than Maine on 7 and worse on 13; on the rest, the Maine figure falls inside Unity’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Unity | ME | U.S. | vs ME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21%17.7–24.7 | 18.7% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.9%13–17 | 14.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 23.6%20.4–26.6 | 17.7% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.7%28.2–37.4 | 32.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.1%8–10.4 | 11.2% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 28.2%25.6–30.7 | 35.7% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.4%29.6–35.3 | 37.4% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 25.7%23.6–27.9 | 32% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 14.5%12.9–16.2 | 12.6% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.9%6.3–7.6 | 9.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.3%5.6–7.1 | 7.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 8.2%7–9.4 | 8.4% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.8–3.5 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 19.1%16.1–22.8 | 14.8% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.3%13.6–19.2 | 14.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 23.8%20.1–28.1 | 23.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17.1%14.3–19.9 | 15.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.5%30.4–39 | 32.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.3%7.7–13.8 | 7.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.2%73.7–80.2 | 81.2% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 55.5%52–58.8 | 63.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 78.2%73.9–81.6 | 87.1% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 71.4%68.8–73.8 | 76.4% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.7%63.6–71.6 | 70.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.7%68.3–80.6 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 32.5%29–36.2 | 26.9% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 38%33.7–42.5 | 32% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.8%22.2–29.9 | 22.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15.4%12.2–19.7 | 10.7% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.1%10.9–15.9 | 9.8% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.3%7.9–11 | 7.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.5%9.5–14 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 20.5%16.7–25.2 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36.2%31.4–41.3 | 32.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.2%11.4–15.1 | 14% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 21.4%17.7–25.5 | 15.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.4%6.6–8.2 | 8.4% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 5.1%4.4–6 | 4.4% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.8%9–13 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.6%3.2–4.2 | 3.5% | 3.8% | About the same |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Maine figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Unity
Is Unity a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Unity is healthier than 48% of U.S. towns: B− for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Unity?
CDC estimates 32.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.2% and 37.4%, against 32.7% across Maine and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Unity?
Northern Light Sebasticook Valley Hospital in Pittsfield, 15.2 miles in a straight line from Unity’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Unity have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.7–13.8%), against 7.8% across Maine.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Unity more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Unity.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Maine figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.