Compare towns
Appleton vs Cornish vs Thorndike vs Unity
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
Cornish has the most expensive homes ($274k median).
Thorndike has the most people working from home (44.7%).
Unity has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Appleton | Cornish | Thorndike | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
1,803 |
1,403 |
1,858Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.5% ME: +2.6% |
-13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
39±8.5 13% below ME |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
27.5±2.2 39% below ME |
| Appleton and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
18.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.2% ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$69,038±$4k 8% below ME |
$78,438±$14kHighest 5% above ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
| Thorndike and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$274,200±$84kHighest 8% below ME |
$205,600±$88kLowest 31% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
| Cornish and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,196±$148Highest 5% above ME |
$836±$317Lowest 27% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
| Cornish and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,309Lowest 24% below ME |
$2,537 16% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.7% ME: 10.7% |
6.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.5% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.1% ME: 74.3% |
87.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
31 min 27% above ME |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Mt View High School | Ecology Learning Ctr |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.7Lowest |
12.4Highest |
| 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.