Compare towns
Cushing vs Monroe vs Friendship
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).
Monroe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.6%).
Friendship has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
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 | Monroe | Friendship |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,460Highest |
1,001Lowest |
1,213 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±7.7 9% above ME |
43.5±7Lowest about the ME average |
55.5±6.9Highest 24% above ME |
| Friendship and Cushing 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% |
23.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Monroe 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% |
22.6%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
37.3%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.4% ME: 36.2% |
29.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±4.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.8%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Monroe and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,500±$19kHighest 12% above ME |
$81,300±$7k 9% above ME |
$75,625±$22kLowest about the ME average |
| Cushing and Monroe 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 |
$220,300±$57kLowest 26% below ME |
$275,000±$56k 7% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$1,165±$152Lowest about the ME average |
$1,370±$53 20% above ME |
| Cushing and Friendship are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,944Highest 30% above ME |
$2,207Lowest 27% below ME |
$2,218 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.7%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.9%±47.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.5%±42.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Monroe and Friendship are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990 13 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 5% below ME |
32 minHighest 28% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.9%±7.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Cushing and Friendship are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 13 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None 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.