Compare towns
Chesterville vs Ogunquit 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).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Jay has the most affordable homes ($169k median).
Cornish has the most renters (17.9% rent).
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 | Ogunquit | Jay | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,397 |
1,379Lowest |
4,657Highest |
1,803 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.8±4Lowest 16% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% 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% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
18.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 15%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.7% ME: 36.2% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Jay and Ogunquit 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 |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$70,238±$19k 6% below ME |
$69,038±$4k 8% below ME |
| Ogunquit 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 |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$168,600±$27kLowest 43% below ME |
$274,200±$84k 8% below ME |
| 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 | $2,194Lowest 28% below ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$2,245 26% below ME |
$2,309 24% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.8%±30.8 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8 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% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.8% ME: 10.7% |
6.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.4% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%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 |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
26 min 7% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
| 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.