Compare towns
Unity vs Peru vs Cornish 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).
Peru has the most affordable homes ($141k median).
Cornish has the most expensive homes ($274k median).
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 | Peru | Cornish | Thorndike |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,858Highest |
1,501 |
1,803 |
1,403Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.4% ME: +2.6% |
+7.5% ME: +2.6% |
-13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2 39% below ME |
48±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
39±8.5 13% below ME |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
| Peru 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% |
20.8%±4 ME: 18.1% |
18.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Peru 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% |
21.7%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Peru 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% |
21.7% ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$66,827±$19k 11% below ME |
$69,038±$4k 8% below ME |
$78,438±$14kHighest 5% above ME |
| Thorndike 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 |
$141,300±$38kLowest 52% below ME |
$274,200±$84kHighest 8% below ME |
$205,600±$88k 31% below ME |
| Cornish 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 |
$723±$16Lowest 37% below ME |
$1,196±$148Highest 5% above ME |
$836±$317 27% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,510 17% below ME |
$1,799Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,309 24% below ME |
$2,537Highest 16% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
21.7%±37.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5 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% |
9.2% ME: 10.7% |
6.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.1% ME: 74.3% |
87.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
1984Highest 7 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 |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
9.2%±4 ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4Lowest 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 56 | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town | — | 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.