Compare towns
Somerville vs China vs Freedom
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Somerville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.5%).
China has the most people working from home (12.6%).
Freedom has the most affordable homes ($191k median).
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 | Somerville | China | Freedom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 837 |
4,526Highest |
670Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8% ME: +2.6% |
-1.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 33.5±11.3Lowest 25% below ME |
40.9±5.9Highest 9% below ME |
40.1±2.7 10% below ME |
| China and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Somerville and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±4.4 ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Freedom and China are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.7% ME: 36.2% |
31.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| China and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,250±$15k 5% below ME |
$96,309±$12kHighest 29% above ME |
$64,861±$12kLowest 13% below ME |
| China and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,100±$41k 26% below ME |
$240,000±$37kHighest 19% below ME |
$190,600±$69kLowest 36% below ME |
| China and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,583±$265 39% above ME |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,505 17% below ME |
$2,535Highest 17% below ME |
$2,328Lowest 23% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
10.6%±25.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
21.1%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Somerville and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 9% above ME |
30 min 21% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.6%±4.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
| China and Freedom 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 | — | #27 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 12 | RSU 18 | — |
| High school 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.