Compare towns
Unity vs Cornish vs Newburgh vs Thorndike
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 shortest commute (21 min average).
Cornish has the oldest housing (typical home built 1958).
Newburgh has the oldest population (median age 45.8).
Thorndike has the most people working from home (44.7%).
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 | Cornish | Newburgh | Thorndike |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,858Highest |
1,024Lowest |
1,475 |
1,403 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | +2.8% ME: +2.6% |
-13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2 39% below ME |
39.2±13.3 13% below ME |
45.8±5.7Highest about the ME average |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
| Newburgh and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
10.5%±5.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.8%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 11.8%±3 ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±6.8 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±2.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Newburgh 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% |
16.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$68,686±$2k 8% below ME |
$76,750±$10k about the ME average |
$78,438±$14kHighest 5% above ME |
| Thorndike and Newburgh 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 |
— | $244,600±$20kHighest 18% below ME |
$205,600±$88kLowest 31% below ME |
| Newburgh and Unity 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 |
$1,135±$141Highest about the ME average |
$950±$219 17% below ME |
$836±$317Lowest 27% below ME |
| Cornish and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,510 17% below ME |
$1,925Lowest 37% below ME |
$2,748Highest 9% below ME |
$2,537 16% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
31%±22.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±13.9 ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Newburgh 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% |
8.3% ME: 10.7% |
11.7% ME: 10.7% |
6.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.2% ME: 74.3% |
81.2% ME: 74.3% |
87.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1958Lowest 19 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
7.4%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
6.4%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike and Unity 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 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | — | — | Mt View High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.4Highest |
— | — | 11.7Lowest |
| 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.