Compare towns
Mechanic Falls vs Jefferson vs Cornish
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mechanic Falls has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Jefferson has the highest household income ($85k).
Cornish has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
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 | Mechanic Falls | Jefferson | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,134Highest |
2,647 |
1,803Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.1% ME: +2.6% |
+7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.8±4.7Highest 11% below ME |
38.1±4.9Lowest 15% below ME |
39±8.5 13% below ME |
| Mechanic Falls and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.1%±7.1 ME: 18.1% |
28%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.2%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Jefferson and Mechanic Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Jefferson and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
27.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.6%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Jefferson and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,914±$12k 6% below ME |
$85,078±$17kHighest 14% above ME |
$69,038±$4kLowest 8% below ME |
| Jefferson and Mechanic Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $270,900±$44kLowest 9% below ME |
$311,600±$35kHighest 5% above ME |
$274,200±$84k 8% below ME |
| Jefferson and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,076±$208Lowest 6% below ME |
$1,120±$130 about the ME average |
$1,196±$148Highest 5% above ME |
| Cornish and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,993Highest about the ME average |
$2,587 15% below ME |
$2,309Lowest 24% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±20.9 ME: 48.4% |
29.8%±25.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Cornish and Mechanic Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 5% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.9%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.9%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Jefferson and Cornish 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 | #122 of 133 in ME | #45 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 16 | Jefferson 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.