Compare towns
Lee vs Cornish vs Athens
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lee has the most people working from home (11.9%).
Cornish has the highest household income ($69k).
Athens has the shortest commute (29 min average).
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 | Lee | Cornish | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 925 |
1,024Highest |
791Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -6.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51.5±11.5Highest 15% above ME |
39.2±13.3Lowest 13% below ME |
47.7±7.2 6% above ME |
| Lee and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±4.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
10.5%±5.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.7%±5 ME: 18.1% |
| Lee and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±6.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±2.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Lee and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 14.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
16.1% ME: 36.2% |
17.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Lee and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $49,886±$5kLowest 33% below ME |
$68,686±$2kHighest 8% below ME |
$50,750±$14k 32% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $174,500±$25kHighest 41% below ME |
— | $153,100±$33kLowest 48% below ME |
| Lee and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,135±$141Highest about the ME average |
$538±$457Lowest 53% below ME |
| Cornish and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,547 49% below ME |
$1,925Highest 37% below ME |
$1,355Lowest 55% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 80%±100 ME: 48.4% |
31%±22.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±75.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Athens and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.5% ME: 10.7% |
8.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
23.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1958Lowest 19 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 41% above ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
29 minLowest 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.9%±4.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.4%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
6.1%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Lee and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 30/MSAD 30 | — | Athens Public Schools |
| 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.