Compare towns
Cushing vs Somerville vs Unity vs Owls Head
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%).
Somerville has the most kids (28.8% under 18).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Owls Head has the shortest commute (16 min average).
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 | Cushing | Somerville | Unity | Owls Head |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,460 |
837Lowest |
1,858Highest |
1,482 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1% ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±7.7 9% above ME |
33.5±11.3 25% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
52.6±6.6Highest 17% above ME |
| Owls Head 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% |
14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
13.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±0.9 ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31.9%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.4% ME: 36.2% |
25.7% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $83,500±$19k 12% above ME |
$71,250±$15k 5% below ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$87,325±$7kHighest 17% above ME |
| Owls Head 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±$44k 38% above ME |
$218,100±$41k 26% below ME |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$413,300±$43kHighest 39% above ME |
| Owls Head and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,553±$376 36% above ME |
$1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,191±$386 5% 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 |
$2,505Lowest 17% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$2,981 about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
29.9%±51.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Somerville and Unity 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% |
17% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
85.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 5% below ME |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
16 minLowest 34% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
13.3%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Cushing and Unity 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 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 13 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.4 |
— |
| 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.