Compare towns
Cushing vs Islesboro vs Thomaston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cushing has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
Islesboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3%).
Thomaston has the most renters (26.1% rent).
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 | Cushing | Islesboro | Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,460 |
636Lowest |
2,769Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±7.7Lowest 9% above ME |
57±8.4 27% above ME |
58.1±6.6Highest 30% above ME |
| Thomaston and Islesboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4 ME: 18.1% |
11.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Thomaston and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±0.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
40.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
35.5%±8.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Islesboro and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.4% ME: 36.2% |
47.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cushing and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,500±$19k 12% above ME |
$88,438±$44kHighest 18% above ME |
$56,435±$13kLowest 24% below ME |
| Islesboro and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
$288,800±$140k about the ME average |
$271,700±$10kLowest 8% below ME |
| Cushing and Islesboro 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 |
$938±$252Lowest 18% below ME |
$1,262±$343 11% above ME |
| Cushing and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,944Lowest 30% above ME |
$4,300 42% above ME |
$4,487Highest 48% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
30.8%±85.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
60.5%±23.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Thomaston and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7% ME: 10.7% |
15.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
91.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
73.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 5% below ME |
8 minLowest 69% below ME |
14 min 45% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.3 ME: 15.9% |
20.3%±8.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Islesboro and Cushing 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 | — | — | #99 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 13 | — | RSU 13 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.