Compare towns
Chesterville vs Jay vs Sumner 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).
Sumner has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Cornish has the most expensive homes ($274k 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 | Chesterville | Jay | Sumner | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,397 |
4,657Highest |
845Lowest |
1,803 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8% ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9% ME: +2.6% |
+7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.8±4Lowest 16% below ME |
39.5±5.1 12% below ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
39±8.5 13% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 15%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.4% ME: 36.2% |
29.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Jay and Cornish 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 |
$70,238±$19kHighest 6% below ME |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
$69,038±$4k 8% below ME |
| Jay and Cornish 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±$27k 43% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% 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±$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 |
$2,245 26% below ME |
$2,167Lowest 29% below ME |
$2,309Highest 24% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.8%±30.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Cornish 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% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.4% ME: 74.3% |
82.7% ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.1%Lowest 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 |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
31 min 27% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner 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 10 | — |
| 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.