Compare towns
Palermo vs Cushing vs New Sharon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Palermo has the highest household income ($89k).
Cushing has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
New Sharon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
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 | Palermo | Cushing | New Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,473 |
1,460Lowest |
1,550Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% ME: +2.6% |
-2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±6.1Lowest 3% below ME |
48.8±7.7Highest 9% above ME |
43.9±8.9 about the ME average |
| Cushing and New Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.1%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| New Sharon and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±2 ME: 22.4% |
20.5%±0.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.8%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| New Sharon and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.7% ME: 36.2% |
38.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.6Lowest 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 | $89,095±$15kHighest 19% above ME |
$83,500±$19k 12% above ME |
$63,889±$21kLowest 15% below 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 | $259,700±$54k 12% below ME |
$409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
$171,200±$21kLowest 42% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,235±$1k 8% above ME |
$1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$961±$55Lowest 16% below ME |
| Cushing and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,506 17% below ME |
$3,944Highest 30% above ME |
$1,889Lowest 38% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.6%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
61%±38 ME: 48.4% |
| Palermo and New Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
9.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 24% above ME |
23 minLowest 5% below ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.8%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3 ME: 15.9% |
8.7%±2.5Lowest 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 12 | RSU 13 | RSU 09 |
| 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.