Compare towns
Thorndike vs Westbrook 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%).
Westbrook has the most expensive homes ($383k 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 | Thorndike | Westbrook | Somerville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,403 |
20,775Highest |
837Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+16.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
37.4±1Highest 17% below ME |
33.5±11.3 25% below ME |
| Westbrook 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% |
18.5%±2.4Lowest 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% |
18.1%±2.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Westbrook 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% |
41.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
9%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,438±$14k 5% above ME |
$85,038±$7kHighest 14% above ME |
$71,250±$15kLowest 5% below ME |
| Westbrook and Thorndike are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $205,600±$88kLowest 31% below ME |
$383,300±$19kHighest 29% above ME |
$218,100±$41k 26% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $836±$317Lowest 27% below ME |
$1,392±$74 22% above ME |
$1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
| Somerville and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,537 16% below ME |
$4,005Highest 32% above ME |
$2,505Lowest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36%±62.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
46.1%±7.4 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Somerville and Westbrook 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% ME: 10.7% |
17%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
61.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 46% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike and Westbrook 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 | — | #115 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | Westbrook Public Schools | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | Mt View High School | Westbrook High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Lowest |
12.0Highest |
— |
| 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.