Compare towns
Benton vs Cornish
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Benton has the most kids (19.9% under 18).
Cornish has the highest household income ($69k).
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 | Benton | Cornish |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 2,770Highest |
1,024Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 42.8±6Highest 4% below ME |
39.2±13.3Lowest 13% below ME |
| Benton and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
10.5%±5.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Benton and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 21%±3.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±6.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Benton and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
16.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Benton and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $61,437±$5kLowest 18% below ME |
$68,686±$2kHighest 8% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $176,700±$23k 40% below ME |
— |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,110±$123Lowest about the ME average |
$1,135±$141Highest about the ME average |
| Cornish and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,758Lowest 42% below ME |
$1,925Highest 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
31%±22.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Benton and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 10%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1958Lowest 19 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 21% below ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.7%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
7.4%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Cornish and Benton 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 | #85 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 49/MSAD 49 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.