Compare towns
Unity vs Surry 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%).
Surry has the oldest population (median age 52.4).
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 | Surry | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,858Highest |
1,836 |
1,803Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
39±8.5 13% below ME |
| Surry 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% |
16.6%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
18.2%±3.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Cornish and Surry 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% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1% ME: 36.2% |
38.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$74,508±$12kHighest about the ME average |
$69,038±$4k 8% below ME |
| Surry 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 |
$296,300±$36kHighest about the ME average |
$274,200±$84k 8% below ME |
| Surry 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 |
$969±$129 15% below ME |
$1,196±$148Highest 5% above ME |
| Cornish and Surry 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 |
$1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
$2,309 24% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and Cornish 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% |
7% ME: 10.7% |
6.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6%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 |
31 min 26% above ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Surry 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 | Surry 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.