Compare towns
Unity vs Belgrade vs Freedom vs Cornish
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Belgrade has the most people working from home (20.4%).
Freedom has the most affordable homes ($191k median).
Cornish has the oldest housing (typical home built 1976).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity | Belgrade | Freedom | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,858 |
3,351Highest |
670Lowest |
1,803 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.9% ME: +2.6% |
-1.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
47.3±14.6Highest 6% above ME |
40.1±2.7 10% below ME |
39±8.5 13% below ME |
| Belgrade and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.6%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
18.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Belgrade and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Belgrade and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1% ME: 36.2% |
49.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.2% ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
0.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$88,338±$13kHighest 18% above ME |
$64,861±$12k 13% below ME |
$69,038±$4k 8% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$312,200±$44kHighest 5% above ME |
$190,600±$69kLowest 36% below ME |
$274,200±$84k 8% below ME |
| Belgrade and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $873±$73 23% below ME |
$857±$108Lowest 25% below ME |
— | $1,196±$148Highest 5% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,510 17% below ME |
$2,859Highest 6% below ME |
$2,328 23% below ME |
$2,309Lowest 24% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
17.2%±35.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
21.1%±100 ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Cornish and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.5% ME: 10.7% |
6.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90.2% ME: 74.3% |
82.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
23 min 7% below ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
31 min 27% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
20.4%±8.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Belgrade and Unity 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 | — | #71 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 18 | — | — |
| High school in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.4 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.