Compare towns
Cornish vs Dexter vs Parsonsfield
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%).
Dexter has the most affordable homes ($138k median).
Parsonsfield has the most kids (25% 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 | Dexter | Parsonsfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,803 |
1,852Highest |
1,715Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3% ME: +2.6% |
-5.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39±8.5Lowest 13% below ME |
51.2±7.8Highest 14% above ME |
44.3±5.9 about the ME average |
| Dexter and Parsonsfield 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%±6.6 ME: 18.1% |
25%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Parsonsfield and Dexter 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% |
20.4%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Dexter and Parsonsfield 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% |
25.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,038±$4k 8% below ME |
$53,654±$25kLowest 28% below ME |
$72,045±$18kHighest 4% below ME |
| Parsonsfield 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 |
$138,200±$50kLowest 53% below ME |
$272,100±$21k 8% below ME |
| Cornish and Parsonsfield 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 |
$827±$117Lowest 27% below ME |
$1,185±$312 4% above ME |
| Cornish and Parsonsfield 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 |
$1,962Lowest 35% below ME |
$2,350Highest 23% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
59.4%±23.7 ME: 48.4% |
78.2%±35Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Parsonsfield and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1% ME: 74.3% |
50.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
86.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 1 yr older than ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 27% above ME |
22 minLowest 12% below ME |
48 minHighest 97% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.5%±2.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.7%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Cornish and Dexter 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 | — | #113 of 133 in ME | — |
| 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.