Compare towns
Cornish vs Exeter vs Lee 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%).
Exeter has the highest household income ($84k).
Lee has the most people working from home (11.9%).
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 | Exeter | Lee | Parsonsfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,803Highest |
1,093 |
925Lowest |
1,715 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.7% ME: +2.6% |
-5.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39±8.5Lowest 13% below ME |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
51.5±11.5 15% above ME |
44.3±5.9 about the ME average |
| Exeter and Lee 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% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.8%±4.9 ME: 18.1% |
25%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Parsonsfield and Lee 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% |
23.9%±11.4 ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
18%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Lee and Exeter 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% |
15% ME: 36.2% |
14.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Lee and Exeter 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 |
$84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
$49,886±$5kLowest 33% below ME |
$72,045±$18k 4% below ME |
| Exeter and Parsonsfield 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 |
$166,700±$39kLowest 44% below ME |
$174,500±$25k 41% 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 |
$995±$386Lowest 13% 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 |
$1,602 47% below ME |
$1,547Lowest 49% below ME |
$2,350Highest 23% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
80%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
78.2%±35 ME: 48.4% |
| Lee and Parsonsfield 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% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
19.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.1% ME: 74.3% |
97%Highest ME: 74.3% |
86.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 27% above ME |
35 min 43% above ME |
35 min 41% above ME |
48 minHighest 97% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.5%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±4.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Lee and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | RSU 30/MSAD 30 | — |
| 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.