Compare towns
Unity vs Friendship 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).
Friendship has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
Cornish has the most kids (18.2% 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 | Friendship | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,858Highest |
1,213Lowest |
1,803 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
55.5±6.9Highest 24% above ME |
39±8.5 13% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
18.2%±3.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Cornish and Friendship 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% |
37.3%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1% ME: 36.2% |
39.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.8%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$75,625±$22kHighest about the ME average |
$69,038±$4k 8% below ME |
| Friendship 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±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$275,000±$56kHighest 7% below ME |
$274,200±$84k 8% below ME |
| Friendship and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,370±$53Highest 20% above ME |
$1,196±$148 5% above ME |
| Friendship 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 |
$2,218Lowest 27% below ME |
$2,309 24% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
37.5%±42.4Lowest 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% |
10% ME: 10.7% |
6.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
17.9%±7.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Friendship 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 40/MSAD 40 | — |
| 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 |
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.

