Compare towns
Brownfield vs Cornish vs Dexter
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 kids (26.7% under 18).
Cornish has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
Dexter has the most affordable homes ($171k 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 | Brownfield | Cornish | Dexter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,830 |
1,803Lowest |
3,822Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1% ME: +2.6% |
+7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.9±6.8 11% below ME |
39±8.5Lowest 13% below ME |
51±6.8Highest 14% above ME |
| Dexter and Brownfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Brownfield and Cornish 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% |
17.4%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Dexter 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% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
16.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.7%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Dexter and Cornish 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 |
$69,038±$4kHighest 8% below ME |
$51,845±$18kLowest 31% below ME |
| Cornish 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 |
$274,200±$84k 8% below ME |
$170,600±$52kLowest 42% below ME |
| Brownfield and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,617±$554Highest 42% above ME |
$1,196±$148 5% above ME |
$838±$119Lowest 26% below ME |
| Brownfield and Cornish 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 |
$2,309 24% below ME |
$2,186Lowest 28% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.8%±43.7 ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.2%±20.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Dexter and Brownfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% ME: 10.7% |
6.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
23.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.1% ME: 74.3% |
66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 44 minHighest 80% above ME |
31 min 27% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4.5 ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.1%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Dexter and Brownfield 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 | — | — | #113 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 72/MSAD 72 | — | MSAD 46 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Dexter Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.3 |
| 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.