Compare towns
Cornish vs Mars Hill vs Baldwin 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%).
Mars Hill has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
Baldwin has the oldest population (median age 50.6).
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 | Mars Hill | Baldwin | Levant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,803 |
1,398 |
1,170Lowest |
3,069Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.3% ME: +2.6% |
+3.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39±8.5Lowest 13% below ME |
43.4±3 3% below ME |
50.6±4.6Highest 13% above ME |
39.7±2.2 11% below ME |
| Baldwin and Mars Hill 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% |
22.9%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
12.1%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.8%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Mars Hill and Levant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
27.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Baldwin and Mars Hill 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% |
26%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.7% ME: 36.2% |
21.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Baldwin and Mars Hill 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 |
$65,273±$9kLowest 13% below ME |
$68,045±$8k 9% below ME |
$86,071±$22kHighest 15% above ME |
| Levant 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 |
$163,600±$23kLowest 45% below ME |
$263,200±$38k 11% 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 |
$488±$96Lowest 57% 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 |
$1,843Lowest 39% below ME |
$2,540 16% below ME |
$2,580Highest 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±17.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±42.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.7%±14 ME: 48.4% |
| Cornish and Levant 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% |
9.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1% ME: 74.3% |
70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 1 yr older than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1995Highest 18 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 27% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
32 minHighest 32% above ME |
31 min 27% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.5%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±5.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Baldwin 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 | — | — | — | #124 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 42/MSAD 42 | — | RSU 87/MSAD 23 |
| High school in town | — | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.0 |
— | — |
| 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.