Compare towns
Benton vs Cornish 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 shortest commute (20 min average).
Cornish has the most renters (20.8% rent).
Cornish has the most people working from home (8.5%).
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 | Benton | Cornish | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,770Highest |
1,024Lowest |
1,803 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | +7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.8±6Highest 4% below ME |
39.2±13.3 13% below ME |
39±8.5Lowest 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% |
18.2%±3.3 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% |
17.4%±4.9 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% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4 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±$2k 8% below ME |
$69,038±$4kHighest 8% below ME |
| Cornish and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $176,700±$23kLowest 40% below ME |
— | $274,200±$84kHighest 8% below ME |
| Cornish and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,110±$123Lowest about the ME average |
$1,135±$141 about the ME average |
$1,196±$148Highest 5% above ME |
| Cornish and Cornish 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 |
$1,925 37% below ME |
$2,309Highest 24% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
31%±22.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.5 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% ME: 10.7% |
6.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1958Lowest 19 yrs older than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 21% below ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
31 min 27% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.7%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
7.4%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Cornish and Cornish 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 | 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.