Compare towns
Cornish vs Exeter vs Steuben vs Hiram
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 oldest population (median age 52.6).
Steuben has the most people working from home (11.8%).
Hiram has the most kids (20.9% 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 | Steuben | Hiram |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,803Highest |
1,093Lowest |
1,388 |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2% ME: +2.6% |
-0.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39±8.5Lowest 13% below ME |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
40.1±8.5 10% below ME |
41.6±10.2 7% below ME |
| Exeter and Hiram 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% |
20.4%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hiram and Steuben are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±1 ME: 22.4% |
15.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Exeter 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% ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
18.9% ME: 36.2% |
25%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Steuben 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 |
$76,466±$4k about the ME average |
$62,813±$10kLowest 16% below ME |
| Exeter and Steuben 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 |
$173,900±$32k 41% below ME |
$256,600±$42k 13% below ME |
| Cornish and Hiram 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±$386 13% below ME |
$678±$319Lowest 40% below ME |
$1,070±$161 6% below ME |
| Cornish and Hiram 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 |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,029 33% below ME |
$2,106 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
26.3%±87.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Hiram and Cornish 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% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
5.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
83.8% 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 |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 27% above ME |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
28 minLowest 14% above ME |
31 min 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±6.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.6%±3.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Steuben and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | RSU 24 | RSU 55/MSAD 55 |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town | Sacopee Valley High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 9.9 |
| 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.