Compare towns
Unity vs Hancock vs Cornish vs Freedom
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%).
Hancock has the oldest population (median age 56.3).
Cornish has the oldest housing (typical home built 1976).
Freedom has the most kids (22.2% 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 | Hancock | Cornish | Freedom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,858 |
2,518Highest |
1,803 |
670Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3% ME: +2.6% |
+7.5% ME: +2.6% |
-1.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
56.3±6.4Highest 26% above ME |
39±8.5 13% below ME |
40.1±2.7 10% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Freedom and Cornish 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% |
30.2%±7Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Hancock 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% |
34.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
23.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
0.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$72,285±$5kHighest 3% below ME |
$69,038±$4k 8% below ME |
$64,861±$12k 13% below ME |
| Hancock 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 |
$276,800±$51kHighest 7% below ME |
$274,200±$84k 8% below ME |
$190,600±$69kLowest 36% below ME |
| Hancock 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 |
$1,171±$65 about the ME average |
$1,196±$148Highest 5% above ME |
— |
| Cornish and Hancock 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 |
$1,869Lowest 38% below ME |
$2,309 24% below ME |
$2,328 23% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
42%±15.5 ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.1%±100Lowest 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% |
8.2% ME: 10.7% |
6.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.1% ME: 74.3% |
82.1% ME: 74.3% |
90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
31 min 27% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Cornish 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 | — | #117 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | Hancock Public Schools | — | — |
| 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.