Compare towns
Somerville vs Standish vs Palermo
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%).
Standish has the most expensive homes ($336k median).
Palermo has the most people working from home (18.8%).
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 | Standish | Palermo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 837Lowest |
10,662Highest |
1,473 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.7% ME: +2.6% |
+2.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 33.5±11.3Lowest 25% below ME |
40.5±2.8 10% below ME |
43.4±6.1Highest 3% below ME |
| Palermo and Standish 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% |
16.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Somerville and Palermo 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% |
15.2%±2.3 ME: 22.4% |
21.2%±2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
36%Highest ME: 36.2% |
31.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,250±$15kLowest 5% below ME |
$104,593±$15kHighest 40% above ME |
$89,095±$15k 19% above ME |
| Standish and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,100±$41kLowest 26% below ME |
$336,000±$18kHighest 13% above ME |
$259,700±$54k 12% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
$983±$453Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,235±$1k 8% above ME |
| Somerville and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,505Lowest 17% below ME |
$3,005Highest about the ME average |
$2,506 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
57.4%±22.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.6%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Somerville and Palermo 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% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 9% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
31 minHighest 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.6%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
18.8%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Palermo and Standish 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 | — | #18 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 12 | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bonny Eagle High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— |
| 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.