Compare towns
Unity vs Bingham vs Somerville 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 most people working from home (15.8%).
Bingham has the most affordable homes ($103k median).
Somerville has the most kids (28.8% under 18).
Cornish has the most expensive homes ($274k median).
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 | Bingham | Somerville | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,858Highest |
660Lowest |
837 |
1,803 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% ME: +2.6% |
-6.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
56±8.2Highest 25% above ME |
33.5±11.3 25% below ME |
39±8.5 13% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±6.8 ME: 18.1% |
28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
38.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1% ME: 36.2% |
22.6% ME: 36.2% |
25.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$42,708±$22kLowest 43% below ME |
$71,250±$15kHighest 5% below ME |
$69,038±$4k 8% below ME |
| Somerville and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$103,000±$26kLowest 65% below ME |
$218,100±$41k 26% below ME |
$274,200±$84kHighest 8% below ME |
| Cornish and Somerville 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 |
$354±$264Lowest 69% below ME |
$1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
$1,196±$148 5% above ME |
| Somerville and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,059Lowest 65% below ME |
$2,505 17% below ME |
$2,309 24% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±45.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Somerville and Cornish 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% |
16.1% ME: 10.7% |
17% ME: 10.7% |
6.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.8% ME: 74.3% |
82.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±6 ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Bingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 83/MSAD 13 | RSU 12 | — |
| High school in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | Upper Kennebec Valley Middle/Senior High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.4Highest |
7.3Lowest |
— | — |
| 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.