Compare towns
Cornish vs Denmark vs Smithfield vs Brownfield
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%).
Denmark has the most homeowners (92.7%).
Smithfield has the most people working from home (22%).
Brownfield has the most kids (26.7% 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 | Denmark | Smithfield | Brownfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,803 |
1,054 |
856Lowest |
1,830Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
-10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39±8.5Lowest 13% below ME |
54.4±5 21% above ME |
55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
39.9±6.8 11% below ME |
| Smithfield and Denmark 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% |
15.6%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
10%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
26.7%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Brownfield and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31.8%±7.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Denmark and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.8% ME: 36.2% |
34.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Denmark and Smithfield 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 |
$64,167±$10k 14% below ME |
$107,917±$27kHighest 44% above ME |
$60,889±$5kLowest 19% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,200±$84k 8% below ME |
$250,000±$68k 16% below ME |
$242,800±$15kLowest 18% below ME |
$287,500±$36kHighest 3% below ME |
| Brownfield and Cornish 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 |
$1,409±$207 24% above ME |
$1,109±$358Lowest about the ME average |
$1,617±$554Highest 42% above ME |
| Brownfield and Denmark 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 |
$2,259Lowest 26% below ME |
$2,866 6% below ME |
$2,976Highest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
90.6%±31Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±45.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
61.8%±43.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Denmark and Brownfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.9% ME: 74.3% |
87.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 27% above ME |
34 min 39% above ME |
33 min 32% above ME |
44 minHighest 80% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.7%±6.4 ME: 15.9% |
22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.5%±4.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Smithfield and Denmark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | — | RSU 72/MSAD 72 |
| High school 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.