Compare towns
Somerville vs Thorndike 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%).
Thorndike has the most people working from home (44.7%).
Palermo has the oldest population (median age 43.4).
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 | Thorndike | Palermo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 837Lowest |
1,403 |
1,473Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 33.5±11.3 25% below ME |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
43.4±6.1Highest 3% below ME |
| Palermo and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 28.8%±7 ME: 18.1% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.2%±2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.7% ME: 36.2% |
25.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
31.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Palermo 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±$15kLowest 5% below ME |
$78,438±$14k 5% above ME |
$89,095±$15kHighest 19% above ME |
| Palermo and Thorndike 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 |
$205,600±$88kLowest 31% below ME |
$259,700±$54kHighest 12% below ME |
| Palermo and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
$836±$317Lowest 27% 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 |
$2,537Highest 16% below ME |
$2,506 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5Lowest 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% |
6.5% ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.2% ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1984Lowest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 9% above ME |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
31 min 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.8%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 12 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt View High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.7 |
— |
| 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.