Compare towns
Mechanic Falls vs Readfield 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 most kids (24.1% under 18).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
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 | Readfield | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,134Highest |
2,651 |
1,803Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5% ME: +2.6% |
0%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.8±4.7 11% below ME |
48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
39±8.5Lowest 13% below ME |
| Readfield 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%±7.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
18.2%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mechanic Falls and Readfield 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% |
22.3%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Readfield 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% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Readfield 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 |
$86,504±$8kHighest 16% above ME |
$69,038±$4kLowest 8% below ME |
| Readfield 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 |
$326,400±$20kHighest 10% above ME |
$274,200±$84k 8% below ME |
| Readfield 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 |
$1,125±$844 about the ME average |
$1,196±$148Highest 5% above ME |
| Cornish and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,993 about the ME average |
$3,392Highest 12% above ME |
$2,309Lowest 24% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±20.9 ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100Lowest 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% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 5% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.9%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield 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 | #20 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 16 | RSU 38 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5 |
— |
| 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.