Compare towns
Cornish vs Dexter 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%).
Dexter has the most affordable homes ($171k median).
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 | Dexter | Brownfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,803Lowest |
3,822Highest |
1,830 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39±8.5Lowest 13% below ME |
51±6.8Highest 14% above ME |
39.9±6.8 11% below ME |
| Dexter and Brownfield 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% |
16.2%±4.3Lowest 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% |
19.7%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Dexter and Brownfield 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% |
16.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Dexter and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,038±$4kHighest 8% below ME |
$51,845±$18kLowest 31% below ME |
$60,889±$5k 19% below ME |
| Cornish and Brownfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,200±$84k 8% below ME |
$170,600±$52kLowest 42% 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 |
$838±$119Lowest 26% below ME |
$1,617±$554Highest 42% above ME |
| Brownfield 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 |
$2,186Lowest 28% below ME |
$2,976Highest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.2%±20.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
61.8%±43.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Dexter and Brownfield 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% |
23.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1% ME: 74.3% |
66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 27% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
44 minHighest 80% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.1%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.5%±4.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Dexter and Brownfield 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 | — |
| School district | — | MSAD 46 | RSU 72/MSAD 72 |
| High school in town | — | Dexter Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.3 |
— |
| 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.