Compare towns
Mars Hill vs Cushing vs Searsport
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mars Hill has the most kids (22.9% under 18).
Cushing has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
Searsport has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.3%).
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 | Mars Hill | Cushing | Searsport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,398Lowest |
1,460 |
2,655Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2.1% ME: +2.6% |
+1.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±3 3% below ME |
48.8±7.7Highest 9% above ME |
42.9±7.2Lowest 4% below ME |
| Cushing and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4 ME: 18.1% |
15.8%±5.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mars Hill and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.5%±0.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.7%±7.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Mars Hill and Searsport 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% |
23.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±3.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±3.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Mars Hill and Searsport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,273±$9k 13% below ME |
$83,500±$19kHighest 12% above ME |
$64,303±$19kLowest 14% below ME |
| Cushing and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $163,600±$23kLowest 45% below ME |
$409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
$224,400±$78k 24% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
$1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$1,105±$87 about the ME average |
| Cushing and Searsport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,843Lowest 39% below ME |
$3,944Highest 30% above ME |
$2,225 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.6%±7.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
48.2%±25.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Searsport and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.6% ME: 10.7% |
7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
14.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
69.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
23 minHighest 5% below ME |
22 min 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±6.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3 ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±9.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Searsport and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #109 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 42/MSAD 42 | RSU 13 | RSU 20 |
| High school in town | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S | None in town | Searsport District High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.0Lowest |
— | 8.2Highest |
| 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.