Compare towns
Abbot vs Anson vs Chester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Abbot has the most people working from home (23.1%).
Anson has the most affordable homes ($118k median).
Chester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.5%).
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 | Abbot | Anson | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 584Lowest |
2,331Highest |
598 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-8.8% ME: +2.6% |
+0.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.6±3.5Highest 8% above ME |
46.7±6.2 4% above ME |
44±10Lowest about the ME average |
| Abbot and Anson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 6.5%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
23.4%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Chester and Anson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.3%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.6%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Chester and Anson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.2% ME: 36.2% |
11.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
1%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Anson and Abbot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,542±$24k 22% below ME |
$52,474±$21kLowest 30% below ME |
$64,500±$8kHighest 14% below ME |
| Chester and Abbot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $171,200±$36k 42% below ME |
$117,800±$14kLowest 60% below ME |
$172,500±$59kHighest 42% below ME |
| Chester and Abbot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,111±$73Highest about the ME average |
$928±$62 19% below ME |
$833±$51Lowest 27% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,393 54% below ME |
$1,572Highest 48% below ME |
$1,378Lowest 55% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.7%±41.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
20.6%±23.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±37.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Anson and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1972Lowest 5 yrs older than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 11% above ME |
33 min 32% above ME |
33 minHighest 34% above ME |
| Work from home | 23.1%±17.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
3%±2.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.7%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Abbot and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 74/MSAD 74 | — |
| High school in town | — | Carrabec High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6 |
— |
| 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.