Compare towns
Knox vs Cushing vs Columbia
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Knox has the most renters (19.9% rent).
Cushing has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
Columbia has the most kids (24.2% under 18).
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 | Knox | Cushing | Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 825 |
1,460Highest |
529Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 41.1±7.9Lowest 8% below ME |
48.8±7.7Highest 9% above ME |
41.9±6.4 6% below ME |
| Cushing and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4 ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Columbia and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.5%±0.9 ME: 22.4% |
25.9%±5.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Columbia and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26% ME: 36.2% |
38.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
9.1%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Columbia and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,821±$9k 13% below ME |
$83,500±$19kHighest 12% above ME |
$56,667±$15kLowest 24% below ME |
| Cushing and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $159,600±$26k 46% below ME |
$409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
$158,700±$19kLowest 46% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$47 21% above ME |
$1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$894±$162Lowest 22% below ME |
| Cushing and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,610 47% below ME |
$3,944Highest 30% above ME |
$1,226Lowest 60% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.3%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
61.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Columbia and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.6% ME: 10.7% |
7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 22% above ME |
23 minLowest 5% below ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±7.4 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
9%±5.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Cushing and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 13 | — |
| High school 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.