Compare towns

Clinton vs Cornish vs Fairfield

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Clinton has the most people working from home (14.8%).
Cornish has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
Fairfield has the shortest commute (25 min average).

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.

MeasureClintonCornishFairfield
People
Population
3,385
1,803Lowest
6,519Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-3.3%
ME: +2.6%
+7.5%Highest
ME: +2.6%
-3.7%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
50.7±4.3Highest
13% above ME
39±8.5Lowest
13% below ME
43.1±4
4% below ME
Clinton and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
15.1%±6.7Lowest
ME: 18.1%
18.2%±3.3
ME: 18.1%
19.8%±3.9Highest
ME: 18.1%
Fairfield and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
21.4%±5.4Highest
ME: 22.4%
17.4%±4.9Lowest
ME: 22.4%
17.7%±3.5
ME: 22.4%
Clinton and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
17.9%
ME: 36.2%
21%Highest
ME: 36.2%
15.4%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.4%±2.8Highest
ME: 5.8%
2.8%±1.4Lowest
ME: 5.8%
4%±1.9
ME: 5.8%
Clinton and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$71,458±$39kHighest
4% below ME
$69,038±$4k
8% below ME
$64,101±$11kLowest
14% below ME
Clinton and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$187,000±$28k
37% below ME
$274,200±$84kHighest
8% below ME
$164,300±$28kLowest
45% below ME
Cornish and Clinton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,177±$118
3% above ME
$1,196±$148Highest
5% above ME
$1,001±$101Lowest
12% below ME
Cornish and Clinton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$1,910Lowest
37% below ME
$2,309Highest
24% below ME
$2,217
27% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
79.3%±26.4Highest
ME: 48.4%
48.8%±17.5
ME: 48.4%
42.9%±12.7Lowest
ME: 48.4%
Clinton and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
2.6%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
6.3%
ME: 10.7%
10.9%Highest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
95.1%Highest
ME: 74.3%
82.1%
ME: 74.3%
78.6%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1977Highest
same as ME
1976
1 yr older than ME
1975Lowest
2 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
30 min
21% above ME
31 minHighest
27% above ME
25 minLowest
about the ME average
Work from home
14.8%±11.3Highest
ME: 15.9%
8.5%±2.4Lowest
ME: 15.9%
12.1%±5.4
ME: 15.9%
Clinton and Fairfield 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 #116 of 133 in ME — #47 of 133 in ME
School district RSU 49/MSAD 49 — RSU 49/MSAD 49 · Maine Academy of Natural Sciences
High school in town None in town — Lawrence High School
Students per teacherat that high school — —
13.3
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History 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.