Compare towns
Cornish vs Dexter 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%).
Dexter has the most people working from home (12.1%).
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 | Dexter | Chesterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,803 |
3,822Highest |
1,397Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39±8.5 13% below ME |
51±6.8Highest 14% above ME |
37.8±4Lowest 16% below ME |
| Dexter 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% |
16.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
15%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Dexter 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
16.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
20.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2Lowest 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 |
$61,635±$10k 18% below ME |
| Cornish and Chesterville 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 |
$170,600±$52kLowest 42% below ME |
$214,000±$40k 28% below ME |
| Cornish and Chesterville 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 |
$838±$119Lowest 26% below ME |
$1,088±$73 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 | $2,309Highest 24% below ME |
$2,186Lowest 28% below ME |
$2,194 28% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
65.2%±20.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.8%±30.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Dexter and Cornish 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% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1% ME: 74.3% |
66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
86.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1978Highest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 27% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 8.5%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
12.1%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Dexter 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 | — | #113 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | MSAD 46 | — |
| High school in town | — | Dexter Regional High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.