Compare towns
Benton vs Cornish vs Unity
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Benton has the most affordable homes ($177k median).
Cornish has the most expensive homes ($274k median).
Unity has the most people working from home (15.8%).
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 | Benton | Cornish | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,770Highest |
1,803Lowest |
1,858 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.5% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.8±6Highest 4% below ME |
39±8.5 13% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
| Benton and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Benton and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21%±3.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Benton and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.2% ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,437±$5kLowest 18% below ME |
$69,038±$4kHighest 8% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% 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 | $176,700±$23kLowest 40% below ME |
$274,200±$84kHighest 8% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% 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 | $1,110±$123 about the ME average |
$1,196±$148Highest 5% above ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
| Cornish and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,758Lowest 42% below ME |
$2,309 24% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Benton and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10% ME: 10.7% |
6.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.1% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 21% below ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.7%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Cornish 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 | #85 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 49/MSAD 49 | — | 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 |
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.