Compare towns
Mechanic Falls vs Prospect 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).
Prospect has the most affordable homes ($197k median).
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 | Prospect | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,134Highest |
923Lowest |
1,803 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5% ME: +2.6% |
-1.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.8±4.7 11% below ME |
45.2±7.5Highest about the ME average |
39±8.5Lowest 13% below ME |
| Prospect and Mechanic Falls 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% |
25.2%±10.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.2%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Prospect 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% |
19.8%±1.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Prospect 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% |
22.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cornish and Mechanic Falls 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 |
$81,250±$17kHighest 9% above ME |
$69,038±$4kLowest 8% below ME |
| Prospect 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±$44k 9% below ME |
$196,500±$19kLowest 34% below ME |
$274,200±$84kHighest 8% below ME |
| Cornish and Mechanic Falls 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 |
$1,107±$61 about the ME average |
$1,196±$148Highest 5% above ME |
| Cornish and Prospect 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 |
$1,979Lowest 35% below ME |
$2,309 24% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±20.9 ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±42Lowest 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% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
6.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1998Highest 21 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 5% above ME |
33 minHighest 34% above ME |
31 min 27% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.9%±4.9 ME: 15.9% |
6.2%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Cornish and Mechanic Falls 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 | — | — |
| School district | RSU 16 | — | — |
| High school 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.