Compare towns
Unity vs Wayne 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).
Wayne has the oldest population (median age 55.6).
Cornish has the oldest housing (typical home built 1958).
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 | Wayne | Cornish | Thorndike |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,858Highest |
1,101 |
1,024Lowest |
1,403 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5% ME: +2.6% |
— | -13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2 39% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
39.2±13.3 13% below ME |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
| Wayne and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
10.5%±5.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 11.8%±3 ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±6.8 ME: 22.4% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
16.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$68,686±$2k 8% below ME |
$78,438±$14k 5% above ME |
| Wayne and Thorndike 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 |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
— | $205,600±$88kLowest 31% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $873±$73 23% below ME |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
$1,135±$141Highest about the ME average |
$836±$317Lowest 27% below ME |
| Cornish and Wayne 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 |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
$1,925Lowest 37% below ME |
$2,537 16% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
31%±22.9 ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Thorndike 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% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
8.3% ME: 10.7% |
6.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.2% ME: 74.3% |
87.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1958Lowest 19 yrs older than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
30 min 24% above ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7 ME: 15.9% |
7.4%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike and Wayne 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 38 | — | 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.