Compare towns
Cornish vs Appleton vs Chesterville vs Princeton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornish has the highest household income ($69k).
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
Chesterville has the most kids (31.3% under 18).
Princeton has the shortest commute (22 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.
| Measure | Cornish | Appleton | Chesterville | Princeton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,024 |
1,360 |
1,397Highest |
866Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.8% ME: +2.6% |
-10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.2±13.3 13% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
37.8±4Lowest 16% below ME |
39.1±9.4 13% below ME |
| Appleton and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 10.5%±5.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
28.2%±6 ME: 18.1% |
| Chesterville and Princeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±6.8 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
15%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±3.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Princeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.4% ME: 36.2% |
24.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $68,686±$2kHighest 8% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$61,635±$10k 18% below ME |
$56,406±$26k 25% below ME |
| Cornish and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | — | $235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$214,000±$40k 28% below ME |
$120,800±$82kLowest 59% below ME |
| Appleton and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,135±$141Highest about the ME average |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,088±$73 4% below ME |
$675±$351Lowest 41% below ME |
| Cornish and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,925 37% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,194 28% below ME |
$1,573Lowest 48% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31%±22.9 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.8%±30.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
57.7%±23.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Princeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
15.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.2% ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
86.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 19 yrs older than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
22 minLowest 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 7.4%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.6%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Princeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | — | Princeton Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.