Compare towns
Cornwall vs Mount Desert vs Mendon vs Strafford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornwall has the most people working from home (24.4%).
Mount Desert has the most expensive homes ($522k median).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Strafford has the most kids (23% 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 | Cornwall | Mount Desert | Mendon | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
1,671Highest |
1,113Lowest |
1,372 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.4±4.6Lowest 30% above U.S. |
54.9±8.2Highest 41% above U.S. |
53.4±10.5 37% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7 32% above U.S. |
| Mount Desert and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.7%±6.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.1%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
29%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mount Desert and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
64.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±4.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Strafford and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,583±$32kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$92,813±$9kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$100,524±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19k 37% above U.S. |
| Cornwall and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $458,000±$49k 38% above U.S. |
$522,100±$66kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$357,000±$44kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40k 30% above U.S. |
| Mount Desert and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$206Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,341±$89Highest 5% below U.S. |
$1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Mount Desert and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,726 116% above U.S. |
$3,512Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$5,342 71% above U.S. |
$7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±65.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±31.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 0.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 11% below U.S. |
18 min 32% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.4%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±9.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cornwall and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.