Compare towns
Cornish vs Mechanic Falls vs Wayne
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%).
Mechanic Falls has the most kids (24.1% under 18).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
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 | Mechanic Falls | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,803 |
3,134Highest |
1,101Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39±8.5Lowest 13% below ME |
39.8±4.7 11% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
24.1%±7.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mechanic Falls 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% |
16.4%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21% ME: 36.2% |
15.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
2%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne 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±$4kLowest 8% below ME |
$69,914±$12k 6% below ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
| Wayne and Mechanic Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,200±$84k 8% below ME |
$270,900±$44kLowest 9% below ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
| Wayne and Cornish 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 |
$1,076±$208 6% below ME |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
| Cornish and Mechanic Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,309Lowest 24% below ME |
$2,993 about the ME average |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±17.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±20.9 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Cornish and Mechanic Falls 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% |
9.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1% ME: 74.3% |
79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 27% above ME |
26 minLowest 5% above ME |
30 min 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.5%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
7.9%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #122 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 16 | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.