Compare towns
Freedom vs Thorndike vs Marshfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Freedom has the most affordable homes ($191k median).
Thorndike has the most people working from home (44.7%).
Marshfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
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 | Freedom | Thorndike | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 670 |
1,403Highest |
499Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.1% ME: +2.6% |
-13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±2.7 10% below ME |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
40.9±7.8Highest 9% below ME |
| Marshfield and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
28.5%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.8%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Freedom and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.2% ME: 36.2% |
26.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Marshfield and Thorndike are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,861±$12k 13% below ME |
$78,438±$14kHighest 5% above ME |
$62,500±$5kLowest 16% below ME |
| Thorndike and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $190,600±$69kLowest 36% below ME |
$205,600±$88kHighest 31% below ME |
$191,900±$42k 35% below ME |
| Thorndike and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $836±$317 27% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,328Lowest 23% below ME |
$2,537Highest 16% below ME |
$2,342 23% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.1%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Marshfield and Thorndike are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.2% ME: 74.3% |
87.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 29% above ME |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
13 minLowest 46% below ME |
| Work from home | 8.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11%±7 ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — |
| High school in town | — | Mt View High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.7 |
— |
| 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.