Compare towns
Liberty vs Cushing vs Palermo
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Liberty has the most affordable homes ($230k median).
Cushing has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
Palermo has the most homeowners (91.2%).
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 | Liberty | Cushing | Palermo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 969Lowest |
1,460 |
1,473Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.5±6.8Lowest 10% below ME |
48.8±7.7Highest 9% above ME |
43.4±6.1 3% below ME |
| Cushing and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Liberty and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±2.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.5%±0.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.2%±2 ME: 22.4% |
| Liberty and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
38.4% ME: 36.2% |
31.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cushing and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,146±$15kLowest 5% below ME |
$83,500±$19k 12% above ME |
$89,095±$15kHighest 19% above ME |
| Palermo and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $229,600±$31kLowest 23% below ME |
$409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
$259,700±$54k 12% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $559±$193Lowest 51% below ME |
$1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$1,235±$1k 8% above ME |
| Cushing and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,434Lowest 20% below ME |
$3,944Highest 30% above ME |
$2,506 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.5%±42.4 ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.6%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Palermo and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 56% above ME |
23 minLowest 5% below ME |
31 min 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.4%±8.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3 ME: 15.9% |
18.8%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Palermo and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 13 | RSU 12 |
| 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.