Compare towns
Cornish vs Mapleton vs Starks 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%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
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 | Mapleton | Starks | Chesterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,803 |
1,884Highest |
556Lowest |
1,397 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39±8.5 13% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
37.8±4Lowest 16% below ME |
| Starks and Mapleton 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% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Chesterville and Mapleton 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% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
15%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Starks and Mapleton 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% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
20.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
$61,635±$10kLowest 18% below ME |
| Mapleton 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 |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$214,000±$40k 28% below ME |
| Cornish and Chesterville 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 |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,063±$301 7% below ME |
$1,088±$73 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 | $2,309Highest 24% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$2,194 28% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±17.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
21.8%±30.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Cornish and Starks 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
86.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 27% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 8.5%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Mapleton and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | — |
| 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.