Compare towns
Athens vs Cherryfield vs Harmony
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athens has the most homeowners (94.6%).
Cherryfield has the most people working from home (18.2%).
Harmony has the highest household income ($54k).
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 | Athens | Cherryfield | Harmony |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 791Lowest |
809 |
974Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.1% ME: +2.6% |
-12.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.7±7.2Lowest 6% above ME |
58.1±4.2Highest 30% above ME |
52.9±2.5 18% above ME |
| Cherryfield and Harmony are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±5Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.6%±5.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Athens and Harmony are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.7 ME: 22.4% |
32.4%±9.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.9%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Cherryfield and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 17.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Athens and Harmony are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $50,750±$14k 32% below ME |
$37,115±$17kLowest 50% below ME |
$54,063±$13kHighest 28% below ME |
| Harmony and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $153,100±$33kLowest 48% below ME |
$195,800±$53k 34% below ME |
$202,700±$58kHighest 32% below ME |
| Harmony and Cherryfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $538±$457Highest 53% below ME |
$428±$107Lowest 62% below ME |
— |
| Athens and Cherryfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,355Lowest 55% below ME |
$1,950Highest 36% below ME |
$1,449 52% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±75.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
60.5%±17.8 ME: 48.4% |
43.5%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Athens and Cherryfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 23.3% ME: 10.7% |
26.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
15.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
67.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 18% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
32 minHighest 30% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.1%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.2%±10.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.8%±8.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Cherryfield and Harmony are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Athens Public Schools | Cherryfield Public Schools | Harmony Public Schools |
| High school in town | None 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.