Compare towns
Cornish vs Ogunquit vs Topsham 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 the oldest housing (typical home built 1976).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Topsham has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Ogunquit | Topsham | Chesterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,803 |
1,379Lowest |
9,706Highest |
1,397 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
-1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39±8.5 13% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
37.8±4Lowest 16% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
15%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
50% ME: 36.2% |
20.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Topsham and Ogunquit 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 |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
$61,635±$10kLowest 18% below ME |
| Ogunquit and Topsham 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 |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
$214,000±$40kLowest 28% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,196±$148 5% above ME |
— | $1,355±$642Highest 19% above ME |
$1,088±$73Lowest 4% below ME |
| Topsham 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 |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$4,259 40% above ME |
$2,194Lowest 28% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±17.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
21.8%±30.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Cornish and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
12%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
86.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 27% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 8.5%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #66 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | — | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | — |
| High school in town | — | — | Mt Ararat High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.2 |
— |
| 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.