Compare towns
Thorndike vs Knox vs Somerville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Thorndike has the most people working from home (44.7%).
Knox has the oldest population (median age 41.1).
Somerville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.5%).
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 | Thorndike | Knox | Somerville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,403Highest |
825Lowest |
837 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.6% ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
41.1±7.9Highest 8% below ME |
33.5±11.3 25% below ME |
| Knox and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
28.8%±7 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+ | 11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.3%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Knox and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.6%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Knox and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,438±$14kHighest 5% above ME |
$64,821±$9kLowest 13% below ME |
$71,250±$15k 5% below ME |
| Thorndike and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $205,600±$88k 31% below ME |
$159,600±$26kLowest 46% below ME |
$218,100±$41kHighest 26% below ME |
| Somerville and Thorndike are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $836±$317Lowest 27% below ME |
$1,375±$47 21% above ME |
$1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
| Somerville and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,537Highest 16% below ME |
$1,610Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,505 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36%±62.5 ME: 48.4% |
11.3%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Somerville and Thorndike are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.6% ME: 10.7% |
17%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Lowest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 46% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±7.4 ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — | RSU 12 |
| High school 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.