Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Cushing vs Topsham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bowdoin has the most affordable homes ($293k median).
Cushing has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
Topsham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Bowdoin | Cushing | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,188 |
1,460Lowest |
9,706Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5% ME: +2.6% |
-2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±10Lowest about the ME average |
48.8±7.7Highest 9% above ME |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
| Cushing and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.5%±0.9 ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Topsham and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.4% ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Topsham and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,239±$13kHighest 22% above ME |
$83,500±$19kLowest 12% above ME |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
| Bowdoin and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $292,800±$71kLowest about the ME average |
$409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
$360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
| Cushing and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$1,355±$642Lowest 19% above ME |
| Cushing and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,375Lowest 11% above ME |
$3,944 30% above ME |
$4,259Highest 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Topsham and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1990 13 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
23 minLowest 5% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.7%±7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Cushing and Topsham 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 | #28 of 133 in ME | — | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 13 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.2 |
| 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.