Compare towns
Cushing vs Palmyra 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 people working from home (18.5%).
Palmyra has the most kids (29.2% under 18).
Thomaston has the shortest commute (14 min average).
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 | Palmyra | Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,460Lowest |
2,209 |
2,769Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1% ME: +2.6% |
-3.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±7.7 9% above ME |
37.1±4.8Lowest 17% below ME |
58.1±6.6Highest 30% above ME |
| Thomaston and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
29.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Palmyra and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±0.9 ME: 22.4% |
16.7%±5.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
35.5%±8.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Palmyra 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 |
$60,543±$17k 19% below ME |
$56,435±$13kLowest 24% below ME |
| Cushing and Palmyra 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 |
$154,900±$34kLowest 48% below ME |
$271,700±$10k 8% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$733±$119Lowest 36% 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 | $3,944 30% above ME |
$1,614Lowest 47% below ME |
$4,487Highest 48% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.7%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
47.2%±14.9 ME: 48.4% |
60.5%±23.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Thomaston and Palmyra 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% |
9.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
73.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990 13 yrs newer than ME |
1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 5% below ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
14 minLowest 45% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
4.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| 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.