Compare towns
Baldwin vs Cornish vs Mars Hill
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Baldwin has the oldest population (median age 50.6).
Cornish has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
Mars Hill has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
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 | Baldwin | Cornish | Mars Hill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,170Lowest |
1,803Highest |
1,398 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.3% ME: +2.6% |
+7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.6±4.6Highest 13% above ME |
39±8.5Lowest 13% below ME |
43.4±3 3% below ME |
| Baldwin and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.1%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mars Hill and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Baldwin and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.7% ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Baldwin and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,045±$8k 9% below ME |
$69,038±$4kHighest 8% below ME |
$65,273±$9kLowest 13% below ME |
| Cornish and Baldwin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $263,200±$38k 11% below ME |
$274,200±$84kHighest 8% below ME |
$163,600±$23kLowest 45% below ME |
| Cornish and Baldwin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,196±$148Highest 5% above ME |
$488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,540Highest 16% below ME |
$2,309 24% below ME |
$1,843Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±42.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Cornish and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% ME: 10.7% |
6.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.1% ME: 74.3% |
70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 32% above ME |
31 min 27% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±4.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Baldwin and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | — | RSU 42/MSAD 42 |
| High school in town | — | — | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.0 |
| 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.