Compare towns
Unity vs China vs Cornish vs Palmyra
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).
China has the highest household income ($96k).
Cornish has the most expensive homes ($274k median).
Palmyra has the most kids (29.2% under 18).
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 | China | Cornish | Palmyra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,858 |
4,526Highest |
1,803Lowest |
2,209 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8% ME: +2.6% |
+7.5% ME: +2.6% |
-3.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
40.9±5.9Highest 9% below ME |
39±8.5 13% below ME |
37.1±4.8 17% below ME |
| China and Cornish 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% |
20.4%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
18.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
29.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Palmyra and China 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% |
21.4%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
16.7%±5.3 ME: 22.4% |
| China and Cornish 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% |
31.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$96,309±$12kHighest 29% above ME |
$69,038±$4k 8% below ME |
$60,543±$17kLowest 19% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$240,000±$37k 19% below ME |
$274,200±$84kHighest 8% below ME |
$154,900±$34kLowest 48% below ME |
| Cornish and China 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 |
— | $1,196±$148Highest 5% above ME |
$733±$119Lowest 36% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,510 17% below ME |
$2,535Highest 17% below ME |
$2,309 24% below ME |
$1,614Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
10.6%±25.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
47.2%±14.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Cornish and Palmyra 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% |
6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.3% ME: 10.7% |
9.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.1% ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 14% below ME |
30 min 21% above ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.6%±4.6 ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and China 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 | — | #27 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.