Compare towns
Cushing vs Sumner 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).
Sumner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
Friendship has the oldest housing (typical home built 1973).
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 | Sumner | Friendship |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,460Highest |
845Lowest |
1,213 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±7.7Lowest 9% above ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
55.5±6.9 24% above ME |
| Sumner and Friendship 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% |
17.2%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Sumner 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% |
29.7%±5.2 ME: 22.4% |
37.3%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Friendship and Sumner 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% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
0.8%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cushing and Sumner 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 |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% 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 |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$275,000±$56k 7% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
— | $1,370±$53Lowest 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 |
$2,167Lowest 29% below ME |
$2,218 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.7%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.5%±42.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Friendship 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% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 5% below ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.9%±7.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 13 | RSU 10 | 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.


