Compare towns
Alna vs Cushing vs Jefferson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Alna has the most kids (32.9% under 18).
Cushing has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Jefferson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.1%).
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 | Alna | Cushing | Jefferson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 818Lowest |
1,460 |
2,647Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1% ME: +2.6% |
-2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.7±10.5 9% below ME |
48.8±7.7Highest 9% above ME |
38.1±4.9Lowest 15% below ME |
| Cushing and Alna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 32.9%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
28%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Alna and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±5.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.5%±0.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Cushing and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
38.4% ME: 36.2% |
27.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
4.6%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Jefferson and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,125±$16kHighest 25% above ME |
$83,500±$19kLowest 12% above ME |
$85,078±$17k 14% above ME |
| Alna and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $367,400±$55k 24% above ME |
$409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
$311,600±$35kLowest 5% above ME |
| Cushing and Alna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,088±$176Lowest 4% below ME |
$1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$1,120±$130 about the ME average |
| Cushing and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,667 21% above ME |
$3,944Highest 30% above ME |
$2,587Lowest 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±70.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
29.8%±25.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Alna and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
83.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 41% above ME |
23 minLowest 5% below ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 16.4%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Cushing and Alna 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 | — | — | #45 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 13 | Jefferson Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.