Compare towns
Cornish vs Appleton vs Union vs Parsonsfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornish has the youngest population (median age 39).
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Union has the most people working from home (15.9%).
Parsonsfield has the most homeowners (86.4%).
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 | Cornish | Appleton | Union | Parsonsfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,803 |
1,360Lowest |
2,663Highest |
1,715 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
-5.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39±8.5Lowest 13% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
41.6±5.3 7% below ME |
44.3±5.9 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Parsonsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4 ME: 18.1% |
25%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Parsonsfield and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
18%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,038±$4k 8% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$80,724±$9kHighest 8% above ME |
$72,045±$18k 4% below ME |
| Union and Parsonsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,200±$84kHighest 8% below ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
$272,100±$21k 8% below ME |
| Cornish and Parsonsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,196±$148Highest 5% above ME |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
$1,185±$312 4% above ME |
| Cornish and Parsonsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,309Lowest 24% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$3,276 8% above ME |
$2,350 23% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
78.2%±35 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Parsonsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
12%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
86.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 27% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
29 minLowest 20% above ME |
48 minHighest 97% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.5%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.