Compare towns
Cushing vs Waldoboro vs Rome
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%).
Waldoboro has the most affordable homes ($275k median).
Rome has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.7%).
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 | Waldoboro | Rome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,460 |
5,253Highest |
1,215Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.6% ME: +2.6% |
+13.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±7.7 9% above ME |
50.1±4.6Highest 12% above ME |
48.3±9.2Lowest 8% above ME |
| Waldoboro 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% |
15.6%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±6.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Rome 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%±5.1 ME: 22.4% |
24.7%±9.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Rome and Waldoboro 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% |
29.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±4.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Rome 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 |
$69,107±$8kLowest 8% below ME |
$77,639±$25k 4% above ME |
| Cushing and Rome 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 |
$274,900±$39kLowest 7% below ME |
$329,300±$36k 11% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$348±$153Lowest 69% below ME |
$1,150±$56 about the ME average |
| Cushing and Rome 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 |
$2,861 6% below ME |
$1,829Lowest 40% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
20%±15.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
54.2%±59.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Rome and Cushing 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% |
9.6% ME: 10.7% |
10.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 5% below ME |
25 min 3% above ME |
30 minHighest 21% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.6%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
7.4%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #55 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 13 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Medomak Valley High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.