Compare towns
Windsor vs Cushing vs Somerville vs Palermo
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has the oldest housing (typical home built 1986).
Cushing has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
Somerville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.5%).
Palermo has the highest household income ($89k).
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 | Windsor | Cushing | Somerville | Palermo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,690Highest |
1,460 |
837Lowest |
1,473 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2% ME: +2.6% |
-2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.5±8 about the ME average |
48.8±7.7Highest 9% above ME |
33.5±11.3Lowest 25% below ME |
43.4±6.1 3% below ME |
| Cushing and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±6.4 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Somerville and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±4.4 ME: 22.4% |
20.5%±0.9 ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.2%±2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Palermo and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.7% ME: 36.2% |
31.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cushing and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $63,178±$5kLowest 15% below ME |
$83,500±$19k 12% above ME |
$71,250±$15k 5% below ME |
$89,095±$15kHighest 19% above ME |
| Palermo and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $228,800±$22k 23% below ME |
$409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
$218,100±$41kLowest 26% below ME |
$259,700±$54k 12% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,265±$400 11% above ME |
$1,553±$376 36% above ME |
$1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
$1,235±$1kLowest 8% above ME |
| Somerville and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,160Lowest 29% below ME |
$3,944Highest 30% above ME |
$2,505 17% below ME |
$2,506 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.2%±31.6 ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
65.6%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Somerville and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.5% ME: 10.7% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
17%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.1% ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.8% ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Lowest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 45% above ME |
23 minLowest 5% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
31 min 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±3 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3 ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.8%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Palermo and Cushing 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 | #44 of 133 in ME | — | — | — |
| School district | RSU 12 | RSU 13 | RSU 12 | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.