Compare towns
Cornish vs Carmel vs Hiram
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%).
Carmel has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Hiram has the most kids (20.9% 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 | Carmel | Hiram |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,803 |
2,941Highest |
1,748Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.6% ME: +2.6% |
-0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39±8.5Lowest 13% below ME |
46.4±4.5Highest 4% above ME |
41.6±10.2 7% below ME |
| Carmel and Hiram are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.6%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hiram and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.5%±5 ME: 22.4% |
15.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Cornish and Carmel 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% |
17.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cornish and Hiram 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 |
$82,188±$22kHighest 10% above ME |
$62,813±$10kLowest 16% below ME |
| Carmel and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,200±$84kHighest 8% below ME |
$256,800±$37k 13% below ME |
$256,600±$42kLowest 13% below ME |
| Cornish and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,196±$148 5% above ME |
$1,276±$187Highest 12% above ME |
$1,070±$161Lowest 6% below ME |
| Carmel and Cornish 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 |
$2,662Highest 12% below ME |
$2,106Lowest 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±38.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
12.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 27% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
31 minHighest 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.5%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.6%±3.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Hiram 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 | — | #77 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | RSU 55/MSAD 55 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Sacopee Valley High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.9 |
| 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.