Compare towns
Cornish vs Bowdoinham 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
Bowdoinham has the most people working from home (22%).
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 | Bowdoinham | Chesterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,803 |
3,142Highest |
1,397Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
-1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39±8.5 13% below ME |
51.9±13.1Highest 16% above ME |
37.8±4Lowest 16% below ME |
| Bowdoinham and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±6.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±6.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
15%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bowdoinham and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21% ME: 36.2% |
43.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cornish and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,038±$4k 8% below ME |
$108,479±$21kHighest 45% above ME |
$61,635±$10kLowest 18% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,200±$84k 8% below ME |
$405,500±$105kHighest 37% above ME |
$214,000±$40kLowest 28% below ME |
| Bowdoinham and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,196±$148Highest 5% above ME |
— | $1,088±$73Lowest 4% below ME |
| Cornish and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,309 24% below ME |
$2,958Highest about the ME average |
$2,194Lowest 28% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
100%±19.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.8%±30.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
86.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 27% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 8.5%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
22%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bowdoinham and Cornish 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 | — | #73 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | — |
| 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.