Compare towns

Chesterville vs Gorham 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).
Gorham has the most people working from home (19%).
Cornish has the oldest housing (typical home built 1976).

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.

MeasureChestervilleGorhamCornish
People
Population
1,397Lowest
18,300Highest
1,803
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-1.8%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
+11.9%Highest
ME: +2.6%
+7.5%
ME: +2.6%
Median age
37.8±4Lowest
16% below ME
39.4±2.9Highest
12% below ME
39±8.5
13% below ME
Gorham and Cornish 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%
20.9%±3.5
ME: 18.1%
18.2%±3.3Lowest
ME: 18.1%
Age 65+
15%±3Lowest
ME: 22.4%
17.5%±2.5Highest
ME: 22.4%
17.4%±4.9
ME: 22.4%
Gorham and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
20.4%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
44.3%Highest
ME: 36.2%
21%
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.3%±2Lowest
ME: 5.8%
13.1%±1.9Highest
ME: 5.8%
2.8%±1.4
ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$61,635±$10kLowest
18% below ME
$112,312±$6kHighest
50% above ME
$69,038±$4k
8% below ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$214,000±$40kLowest
28% below ME
$460,900±$26kHighest
55% above ME
$274,200±$84k
8% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,088±$73Lowest
4% below ME
$1,680±$355Highest
47% above ME
$1,196±$148
5% above ME
Gorham and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$2,194Lowest
28% below ME
$4,825Highest
59% above ME
$2,309
24% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
21.8%±30.8Lowest
ME: 48.4%
37.9%±8.6
ME: 48.4%
48.8%±17.5Highest
ME: 48.4%
Cornish and Gorham 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%
3.7%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
6.3%
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
86.4%Highest
ME: 74.3%
81.5%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
82.1%
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1978
1 yr newer than ME
1988Highest
11 yrs newer than ME
1976Lowest
1 yr older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
25 minLowest
about the ME average
27 min
10% above ME
31 minHighest
27% above ME
Work from home
7.1%±3.7Lowest
ME: 15.9%
19%±3.7Highest
ME: 15.9%
8.5%±2.4
ME: 15.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading — #24 of 133 in ME —
School district — Gorham Public Schools —
High school in town — Gorham High School —
Students per teacherat that high school —
12.9
—
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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.