Compare towns
Chesterville vs Exeter vs Jay vs Cornish
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).
Exeter has the oldest population (median age 52.6).
Jay has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Cornish has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
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 | Chesterville | Exeter | Jay | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,397 |
1,093Lowest |
4,657Highest |
1,803 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8% ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8% ME: +2.6% |
+7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.8±4Lowest 16% below ME |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
39.5±5.1 12% below ME |
39±8.5 13% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
18.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 15%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Exeter and Jay 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% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Jay and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $61,635±$10kLowest 18% below ME |
$84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
$70,238±$19k 6% below ME |
$69,038±$4k 8% below ME |
| Exeter and Jay 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 |
$166,700±$39kLowest 44% below ME |
$168,600±$27k 43% below ME |
$274,200±$84kHighest 8% 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 |
$995±$386 13% below ME |
$759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$1,196±$148Highest 5% above 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 |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,245 26% below ME |
$2,309Highest 24% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.8%±30.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Cornish and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
9.8% ME: 10.7% |
6.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.4% ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.7% ME: 74.3% |
82.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
31 min 27% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Exeter 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 | — | — | #86 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | — | RSU 73 | — |
| High school in town | — | — | Spruce Mountain High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.7 |
— |
| 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.