Compare towns
Cornish vs Readfield vs Wayne 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%).
Wayne has the oldest population (median age 55.6).
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 | Readfield | Wayne | Chesterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,803 |
2,651Highest |
1,101Lowest |
1,397 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
0% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39±8.5 13% below ME |
48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
37.8±4Lowest 16% below ME |
| Wayne and Readfield 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% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
15%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne and Readfield 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% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Readfield 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 |
$86,504±$8k 16% above ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$61,635±$10kLowest 18% below ME |
| Wayne and Readfield 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 |
$326,400±$20k 10% above ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$214,000±$40kLowest 28% below ME |
| Wayne and Readfield 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 |
$1,125±$844 about the ME average |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,088±$73 4% below ME |
| Cornish and Readfield 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 |
$3,392Highest 12% above ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
$2,194Lowest 28% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±17.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
21.8%±30.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Cornish and Readfield 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% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
12%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
86.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1979 2 yrs 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 |
30 min 20% above ME |
30 min 24% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 8.5%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Readfield 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 | — | #20 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | — | RSU 38 | RSU 38 | — |
| High school in town | — | Maranacook Community High Sch | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5 |
— | — |
| 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.