Compare towns
Anson vs Cornish vs Unity vs Madison
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Anson has the most affordable homes ($118k median).
Cornish has the most expensive homes ($274k median).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Madison has the most renters (45.4% rent).
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 | Anson | Cornish | Unity | Madison |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,331 |
1,803Lowest |
1,858 |
4,782Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.5% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±6.2 4% above ME |
39±8.5 13% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
49.6±3.4Highest 11% above ME |
| Madison and Anson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Anson and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Madison and Anson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 11.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $52,474±$21kLowest 30% below ME |
$69,038±$4kHighest 8% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$61,747±$11k 17% below ME |
| Cornish and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $117,800±$14kLowest 60% below ME |
$274,200±$84kHighest 8% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$187,600±$40k 37% below ME |
| Cornish and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $928±$62 19% below ME |
$1,196±$148Highest 5% above ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$906±$247 20% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,572Lowest 48% below ME |
$2,309 24% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,983 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.6%±23.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±11.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Cornish and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.8% ME: 10.7% |
6.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
15% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3% ME: 74.3% |
82.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3% ME: 74.3% |
54.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 5 yrs older than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1964Lowest 13 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 32% above ME |
31 min 27% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 3%±2.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±10.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Madison and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 74/MSAD 74 | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 59/MSAD 59 |
| High school in town | Carrabec High School | — | Ecology Learning Ctr | Madison Jr/Sr High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
— | 12.4Highest |
10.0Lowest |
| 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.