Compare towns
Owls Head vs Unity vs Cushing vs Phippsburg
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Owls Head has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Cushing has the most kids (17.1% under 18).
Phippsburg has the highest household income ($108k).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Owls Head | Unity | Cushing | Phippsburg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,482 |
1,858 |
1,460Lowest |
2,238Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.1% ME: +2.6% |
-2.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±6.6 17% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
48.8±7.7 9% above ME |
54.3±6.3Highest 21% above ME |
| Phippsburg and Owls Head are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.6%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.5%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Cushing and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 31.9%±4.4 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.5%±0.9 ME: 22.4% |
34.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Phippsburg and Owls Head are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.4% ME: 36.2% |
37.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $87,325±$7k 17% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$83,500±$19k 12% above ME |
$107,833±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
| Phippsburg and Owls Head are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $413,300±$43kHighest 39% above ME |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$409,800±$44k 38% above ME |
$335,800±$47k 13% above ME |
| Owls Head and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,191±$386 5% above ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$1,022±$346 10% below ME |
| Cushing and Owls Head are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,981 about the ME average |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$3,944Highest 30% above ME |
$2,034Lowest 33% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.9%±51.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
35.5%±98.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Phippsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
7.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.6% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 34% below ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
23 minHighest 5% below ME |
21 min 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 13.3%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Cushing and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 13 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 13 | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| High school in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.