Compare towns
Cornish vs Jay vs Hiram vs Cornish
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornish has the youngest population (median age 39).
Jay has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Hiram has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
Cornish has the most renters (20.8% rent).
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 | Jay | Hiram | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,803 |
4,657Highest |
1,748 |
1,024Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.7% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 39±8.5Lowest 13% below ME |
39.5±5.1 12% below ME |
41.6±10.2Highest 7% below ME |
39.2±13.3 13% below ME |
| Hiram and Jay 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% |
17.5%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
10.5%±5.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Hiram and Cornish 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% |
19.3%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.7%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±6.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Jay 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% |
29.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25% ME: 36.2% |
16.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Jay 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±$4k 8% below ME |
$70,238±$19kHighest 6% below ME |
$62,813±$10kLowest 16% below ME |
$68,686±$2k 8% below ME |
| Jay 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 |
$168,600±$27kLowest 43% 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 |
$759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$1,070±$161 6% below ME |
$1,135±$141 about the ME average |
| Cornish and Cornish 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 |
$2,245 26% below ME |
$2,106 31% below ME |
$1,925Lowest 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
31%±22.9 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.8% ME: 10.7% |
12.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1% ME: 74.3% |
82.7% ME: 74.3% |
83.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 1 yr older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
1958Lowest 19 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 27% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
31 min 28% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.5%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.6%±3.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.4%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Hiram 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 | — | #86 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | — | RSU 73 | RSU 55/MSAD 55 | — |
| High school in town | — | Spruce Mountain High School | Sacopee Valley High Sch | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
9.9Lowest |
— |
| 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.