Compare towns
Cornish vs Jackson vs Unity vs Hiram
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 most expensive homes ($274k median).
Jackson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Unity has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Hiram has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
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 | Cornish | Jackson | Unity | Hiram |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,803 |
567Lowest |
1,858Highest |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
-0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39±8.5 13% below ME |
37.7±5.8 16% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
41.6±10.2Highest 7% below ME |
| Hiram and Cornish 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% |
17.1%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hiram and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
15.7%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Jackson 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
25% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,038±$4k 8% below ME |
$75,167±$19kHighest about the ME average |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$62,813±$10kLowest 16% below ME |
| Jackson and Cornish 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 |
$231,500±$16k 22% below ME |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$256,600±$42k 13% below ME |
| Cornish and Hiram 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 |
$629±$12Lowest 45% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$1,070±$161 6% below ME |
| Cornish and Hiram are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,309 24% below ME |
$2,651Highest 13% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$2,106Lowest 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Hiram and Cornish 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% |
13.8% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
12.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1% ME: 74.3% |
78.6% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 27% above ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
31 min 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.3%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.6%±3.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 55/MSAD 55 |
| High school in town | — | — | Ecology Learning Ctr | Sacopee Valley High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.4Highest |
9.9Lowest |
| 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.