Compare towns
Cornish vs Dresden vs Chesterville
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 most renters (20.8% rent).
Dresden has the oldest population (median age 55.1).
Chesterville has the most kids (31.3% under 18).
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 | Dresden | Chesterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,024Lowest |
1,645Highest |
1,397 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.2±13.3 13% below ME |
55.1±7.9Highest 23% above ME |
37.8±4Lowest 16% below ME |
| Dresden 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% |
17%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±6.8 ME: 22.4% |
24.8%±8Highest ME: 22.4% |
15%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Dresden and Cornish 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% |
30.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Dresden 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±$2k 8% below ME |
$74,844±$22kHighest about the ME average |
$61,635±$10kLowest 18% below ME |
| Dresden and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | — | $240,100±$29kHighest 19% below ME |
$214,000±$40kLowest 28% below ME |
| Dresden and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,135±$141 about the ME average |
$1,194±$502Highest 5% above ME |
$1,088±$73Lowest 4% below ME |
| Dresden and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,925Lowest 37% below ME |
$2,500Highest 18% below ME |
$2,194 28% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
13.2%±26Lowest ME: 48.4% |
21.8%±30.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Cornish and Chesterville 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% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
12%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
86.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 19 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 29% above ME |
33 minHighest 35% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 7.4%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Cornish and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 02 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| 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.