Compare towns
Buckfield vs Cornish vs Unity vs Paris
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Buckfield has the most kids (25.7% under 18).
Cornish has the most expensive homes ($274k median).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Paris has the oldest population (median age 48.2).
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 | Buckfield | Cornish | Unity | Paris |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,403 |
1,803Lowest |
1,858 |
5,317Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.5% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.7±10.1 16% below ME |
39±8.5 13% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
48.2±5.6Highest 8% above ME |
| Paris and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25.7%±7.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.8%±5.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Buckfield and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13.7%±2.7 ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.6%±5.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Paris and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.5% ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
28.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±3.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,917±$41kHighest 4% above ME |
$69,038±$4k 8% below ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$75,137±$20k about the ME average |
| Buckfield and Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $227,700±$18k 23% below ME |
$274,200±$84kHighest 8% below ME |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$240,400±$57k 19% below ME |
| Cornish and Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $521±$33Lowest 54% below ME |
$1,196±$148Highest 5% above ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,860Highest 6% below ME |
$2,309Lowest 24% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$2,649 13% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±55Lowest ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
62.3%±13.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Paris and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.3% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
12.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.1% ME: 74.3% |
72.3% ME: 74.3% |
60.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 25% above ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
22 min 9% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.6%±12.5 ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
19.4%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Paris and Unity 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 | — | — | — | #114 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 10 | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 17/MSAD 17 |
| High school in town | Buckfield Jr-Sr High School | — | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2Lowest |
— | 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.