Compare towns
Cornish vs Wells vs Hiram
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 youngest population (median age 39).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Hiram has the most kids (20.9% 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 | Wells | Hiram |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,803 |
11,713Highest |
1,748Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5% ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39±8.5Lowest 13% below ME |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
41.6±10.2 7% below ME |
| Wells and Hiram 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%±3.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hiram 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% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Wells 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 |
$88,024±$11kHighest 18% above ME |
$62,813±$10kLowest 16% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,200±$84k 8% below ME |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$256,600±$42kLowest 13% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,196±$148 5% above ME |
$1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
$1,070±$161Lowest 6% below ME |
| Wells 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 |
$3,215Highest 6% above ME |
$2,106Lowest 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Hiram and Cornish 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% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
12.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 27% above ME |
28 minLowest 12% above ME |
31 minHighest 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.6%±3.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #22 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 55/MSAD 55 |
| High school in town | — | Wells High School | Sacopee Valley High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Highest |
9.9Lowest |
| 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.