Compare towns
Brownfield vs Chesterville vs Porter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brownfield has the most expensive homes ($288k median).
Chesterville has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Porter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
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 | Brownfield | Chesterville | Porter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,830Highest |
1,397Lowest |
1,746 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1% ME: +2.6% |
-1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.9±6.8 11% below ME |
37.8±4Lowest 16% below ME |
40.9±7.9Highest 9% below ME |
| Porter and Brownfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.8%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Chesterville and Brownfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
15%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Porter and Brownfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.4% ME: 36.2% |
14%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.7%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Porter and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,889±$5k 19% below ME |
$61,635±$10kHighest 18% below ME |
$60,417±$9kLowest 19% below ME |
| Chesterville and Brownfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $287,500±$36kHighest 3% below ME |
$214,000±$40kLowest 28% below ME |
$226,100±$20k 24% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,617±$554Highest 42% above ME |
$1,088±$73Lowest 4% below ME |
— |
| Brownfield and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,976Highest about the ME average |
$2,194 28% below ME |
$1,841Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.8%±43.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.8%±30.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
43.9%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Brownfield and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
86.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 44 minHighest 80% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
32 min 30% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4.5 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.5%±5.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Porter and Brownfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 72/MSAD 72 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.