Compare towns
Alexander vs Cornish vs Unity vs Amherst
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Alexander has the highest household income ($94k).
Cornish has the most expensive homes ($274k median).
Unity has the most people working from home (15.8%).
Amherst has the most kids (19.3% 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 | Alexander | Cornish | Unity | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 553 |
1,803 |
1,858Highest |
424Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 52.8±4.2Highest 18% above ME |
39±8.5 13% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
50.9±9.9 14% above ME |
| Alexander and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.1%±6.6 ME: 18.1% |
18.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.3%±8.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Amherst and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±4.6 ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.3%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Amherst and Alexander are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.2% ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
31.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4.2 ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.8%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $93,750±$10kHighest 25% above ME |
$69,038±$4k 8% below ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$72,656±$12k about the ME average |
| Alexander and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $193,800±$54kLowest 35% below ME |
$274,200±$84kHighest 8% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$210,200±$38k 29% below ME |
| Cornish and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,196±$148Highest 5% above ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,781 41% below ME |
$2,309 24% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,527Lowest 50% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
50%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Amherst and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.6% ME: 10.7% |
6.3% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.3% ME: 74.3% |
82.1% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
96.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 26% below ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
27 min 11% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.7%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Alexander Public Schools | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Ecology Learning Ctr | — |
| 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.