Compare towns
Cornish vs Lee vs Baldwin 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%).
Lee has the most people working from home (11.9%).
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 | Lee | Baldwin | Chesterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,803Highest |
925Lowest |
1,170 |
1,397 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.7% ME: +2.6% |
-0.3% ME: +2.6% |
-1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39±8.5 13% below ME |
51.5±11.5Highest 15% above ME |
50.6±4.6 13% above ME |
37.8±4Lowest 16% below ME |
| Lee and Baldwin 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% |
21.8%±4.9 ME: 18.1% |
12.1%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Chesterville and Lee 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% |
24.5%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
27.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
15%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Baldwin and Lee 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% |
14.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
23.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Baldwin and Lee 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 |
$49,886±$5kLowest 33% below ME |
$68,045±$8k 9% below ME |
$61,635±$10k 18% below ME |
| Cornish and Baldwin 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 |
$174,500±$25kLowest 41% below ME |
$263,200±$38k 11% below ME |
$214,000±$40k 28% below ME |
| Cornish and Baldwin 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 |
— | — | $1,088±$73Lowest 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 | $2,309 24% below ME |
$1,547Lowest 49% below ME |
$2,540Highest 16% below ME |
$2,194 28% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
80%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±42.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
21.8%±30.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Lee 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% |
19.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
97%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89% ME: 74.3% |
86.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 27% above ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
32 min 32% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 8.5%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±4.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.8 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Lee and Baldwin 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.