Compare towns
Unity vs Jefferson 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%).
Jefferson has the most kids (28% under 18).
Cornish has the oldest population (median age 39).
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 | Jefferson | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,858 |
2,647Highest |
1,803Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
38.1±4.9 15% below ME |
39±8.5Highest 13% below ME |
| Cornish and Jefferson 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% |
28%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Jefferson 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% |
27.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.6%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$85,078±$17kHighest 14% above ME |
$69,038±$4k 8% below ME |
| Jefferson 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 |
$311,600±$35kHighest 5% above ME |
$274,200±$84k 8% below ME |
| Jefferson 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 |
$1,120±$130 about the ME average |
$1,196±$148Highest 5% above ME |
| Cornish and Jefferson 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 |
$2,587Highest 15% below ME |
$2,309Lowest 24% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
29.8%±25.1Lowest 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% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.1% 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 |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.9%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Jefferson 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 | — | #45 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | Jefferson 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 |
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.