Compare towns
Chesterville vs Jay vs Mapleton 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).
Jay has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
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 | Jay | Mapleton | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,397Lowest |
4,657Highest |
1,884 |
1,803 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8% ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.8±4Lowest 16% below ME |
39.5±5.1 12% below ME |
41.8±6Highest 7% below ME |
39±8.5 13% below ME |
| Mapleton and Jay 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% |
17.5%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
18.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Chesterville and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Jay and Mapleton 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% |
29.7% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Jay 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 |
$70,238±$19k 6% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$69,038±$4k 8% below ME |
| Mapleton 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 |
$168,600±$27kLowest 43% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% 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 |
$759±$141 33% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% 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 |
$2,245 26% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,309Highest 24% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.8%±30.8 ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Cornish and Jay 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% |
9.8% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
6.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.7% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Mapleton 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 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — |
| High school in town | — | Spruce Mountain High School | None in town | — |
| 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.