Compare towns
Cornish vs Jay vs Hiram vs Levant
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%).
Jay has the most affordable homes ($169k median).
Hiram has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
Levant has the highest household income ($86k).
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 | Levant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,803 |
4,657Highest |
1,748Lowest |
3,069 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.7% ME: +2.6% |
+3.1% 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 |
39.7±2.2 11% below ME |
| Hiram and Levant 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%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.8%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Hiram and Levant 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%±2.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Jay and Levant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25% ME: 36.2% |
21.6% 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% |
2.2%±2.8Lowest 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±$19k 6% below ME |
$62,813±$10kLowest 16% below ME |
$86,071±$22kHighest 15% above ME |
| Levant and Jay 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 |
$268,500±$27k 9% below ME |
| Cornish and Levant 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 |
$759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$1,070±$161 6% below ME |
$1,370±$120Highest 20% above ME |
| Levant 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 |
$2,245 26% below ME |
$2,106Lowest 31% below ME |
$2,580Highest 15% 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% |
45.7%±14 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% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1% ME: 74.3% |
82.7% ME: 74.3% |
83.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1995Highest 18 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 27% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
31 minHighest 28% above ME |
31 min 27% 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% |
6.9%±5.6 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 | — | #124 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 73 | RSU 55/MSAD 55 | RSU 87/MSAD 23 |
| High school in town | — | Spruce Mountain High School | Sacopee Valley High Sch | None in town |
| 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.