Compare towns
Corinth vs Benton vs Charleston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Corinth has the most affordable homes ($136k median).
Benton has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Charleston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.1%).
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 | Corinth | Benton | Charleston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,990Highest |
2,770 |
1,117Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.8% ME: +2.6% |
-0.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.7±6Lowest 5% below ME |
42.8±6 4% below ME |
45.4±5.9Highest about the ME average |
| Charleston and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23%±4.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Corinth and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.3%±3.9 ME: 22.4% |
21%±3.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Benton and Corinth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.2% ME: 36.2% |
21.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
12.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Corinth and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,229±$5k 14% below ME |
$61,437±$5kLowest 18% below ME |
$75,250±$20kHighest about the ME average |
| Charleston and Corinth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $135,800±$31kLowest 54% below ME |
$176,700±$23k 40% below ME |
$226,500±$17kHighest 24% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $883±$157Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,110±$123Highest about the ME average |
$988±$870 13% below ME |
| Benton and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,381Lowest 55% below ME |
$1,758 42% below ME |
$1,811Highest 40% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.4%±11.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Benton and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
92.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 21% above ME |
20 minLowest 21% below ME |
26 min 5% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.6%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±8.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Charleston and Corinth 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 | #102 of 133 in ME | #85 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 64/MSAD 64 | RSU 49/MSAD 49 | — |
| High school in town | Central High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3 |
— | — |
| 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.