Compare towns
Chesterville vs Cornish vs Danforth vs New Sharon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chesterville has the most kids (31.3% under 18).
Cornish has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($90k median).
New Sharon has the most homeowners (90.2%).
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 | Chesterville | Cornish | Danforth | New Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,397 |
1,803Highest |
666Lowest |
1,550 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.3% ME: +2.6% |
+3.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.8±4Lowest 16% below ME |
39±8.5 13% below ME |
53.1±4.4Highest 19% above ME |
43.9±8.9 about the ME average |
| Danforth and New Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 15%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±3.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.8%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Danforth and New Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.4% ME: 36.2% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Cornish and New Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $61,635±$10k 18% below ME |
$69,038±$4kHighest 8% below ME |
$48,125±$8kLowest 36% below ME |
$63,889±$21k 15% below ME |
| Cornish and New Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $214,000±$40k 28% below ME |
$274,200±$84kHighest 8% below ME |
$89,900±$36kLowest 70% below ME |
$171,200±$21k 42% below ME |
| Cornish and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,088±$73 4% below ME |
$1,196±$148Highest 5% above ME |
$629±$29Lowest 45% below ME |
$961±$55 16% below ME |
| Cornish and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,194 28% below ME |
$2,309Highest 24% below ME |
$1,270Lowest 58% below ME |
$1,889 38% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.8%±30.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
36.1%±57.5 ME: 48.4% |
61%±38Highest ME: 48.4% |
| New Sharon and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12% ME: 10.7% |
6.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.4% ME: 74.3% |
82.1% ME: 74.3% |
81.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
28 min 15% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
5.8%±3.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.7%±2.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| New Sharon and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | — | RSU 09 |
| High school in town | — | — | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.