What stands out worked out from the figures below

Chesterville has the most expensive homes ($214k median).

Springfield has the most affordable homes ($123k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Chesterville	Springfield
People
Population	1,397Highest	310Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-1.8% ME: +2.6%	—
Median age	37.8±4Lowest 16% below ME	52.4±7Highest 17% above ME
Kids under 18	31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1%	18.1%±5.6Lowest ME: 18.1%
Age 65+	15%±3Lowest ME: 22.4%	21.6%±5.4Highest ME: 22.4%
	Springfield and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	20.4%Highest ME: 36.2%	17.3%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8%	0.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Chesterville and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$61,635±$10kHighest 18% below ME	$60,833±$23kLowest 19% below ME
	Chesterville and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$214,000±$40kHighest 28% below ME	$122,500±$28kLowest 59% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,088±$73 4% below ME	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,194Highest 28% below ME	$1,067Lowest 65% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	21.8%±30.8 ME: 48.4%	—
Below poverty line	12%Highest ME: 10.7%	5.5%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.4%Lowest ME: 74.3%	96.2%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME	1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest about the ME average	30 minHighest 21% above ME
Work from home	7.1%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9%	9.6%±5.2Highest ME: 15.9%
	Springfield and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.