Compare towns
Cushing vs Somerville 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).
Somerville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.5%).
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 | Somerville | Friendship |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,460Highest |
837Lowest |
1,213 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±7.7 9% above ME |
33.5±11.3Lowest 25% below ME |
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% |
28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±0.9 ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
37.3%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.4% ME: 36.2% |
25.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
0.8%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cushing and Somerville 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 |
$71,250±$15kLowest 5% below ME |
$75,625±$22k about the ME average |
| Cushing and Friendship 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 |
$218,100±$41kLowest 26% below ME |
$275,000±$56k 7% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,553±$376 36% above ME |
$1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
$1,370±$53Lowest 20% above ME |
| Somerville and Cushing 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 |
$2,505 17% below ME |
$2,218Lowest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.7%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.5%±42.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Somerville 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% |
17%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.8% ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 5% below ME |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest 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 12 | 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.