Compare towns
Cornish vs Unity vs Westbrook vs Hiram
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Westbrook has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
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 | Unity | Westbrook | Hiram |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,803 |
1,858 |
20,775Highest |
1,748Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
+16.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39±8.5 13% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
37.4±1 17% 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% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.5%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hiram and Westbrook 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% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.1%±2.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.7%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Westbrook 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% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
41.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
9%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,038±$4k 8% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$85,038±$7kHighest 14% above ME |
$62,813±$10kLowest 16% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,200±$84k 8% below ME |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$383,300±$19kHighest 29% above ME |
$256,600±$42k 13% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,196±$148 5% above ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,392±$74Highest 22% above ME |
$1,070±$161 6% below ME |
| Westbrook and Cornish 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 |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$4,005Highest 32% above ME |
$2,106Lowest 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Lowest ME: 48.4% |
46.1%±7.4 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% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8% ME: 10.7% |
12.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1% ME: 74.3% |
72.3% ME: 74.3% |
61.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 1 yr older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 27% above ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
31 minHighest 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±2.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.6%±3.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Westbrook 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 | — | — | #115 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | Westbrook Public Schools | RSU 55/MSAD 55 |
| High school in town | — | Ecology Learning Ctr | Westbrook High School | Sacopee Valley High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4Highest |
12.0 |
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.