Compare towns
Unity vs Waterville 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Waterville has the most renters (51.2% rent).
Cornish has the most expensive homes ($274k median).
Thorndike has the most kids (49.8% 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 | Waterville | Cornish | Thorndike |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,858 |
17,077Highest |
1,803 |
1,403Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7% ME: +2.6% |
+7.5% ME: +2.6% |
-13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2 39% below ME |
35.5±2.5 21% below ME |
39±8.5Highest 13% below ME |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
| Cornish and Waterville 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% |
14.4%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
18.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Cornish 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% |
18.3%±2.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Waterville 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% |
30.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% 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 |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% 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 |
$978±$72 14% below ME |
$1,196±$148Highest 5% above ME |
$836±$317Lowest 27% below ME |
| Cornish and Waterville 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 |
$2,755Highest 9% below ME |
$2,309Lowest 24% below ME |
$2,537 16% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Waterville and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.3% ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.1% ME: 74.3% |
87.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 14% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
31 min 27% above ME |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike and Waterville 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 | — | #105 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | Waterville Public Schools | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | Waterville Senior High School | — | Mt View High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.4 |
12.8Highest |
— | 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.