Compare towns

Northfield vs Cornish vs Marshfield

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Northfield has the oldest population (median age 62.1).
Cornish has the most expensive homes ($274k median).
Marshfield has the most kids (28.5% 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.

MeasureNorthfieldCornishMarshfield
People
Population
263Lowest
1,803Highest
499
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+7.5%Highest
ME: +2.6%
+1.9%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
62.1±16.2Highest
39% above ME
39±8.5Lowest
13% below ME
40.9±7.8
9% below ME
Northfield and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
11.4%±7.8Lowest
ME: 18.1%
18.2%±3.3
ME: 18.1%
28.5%±6.9Highest
ME: 18.1%
Age 65+
39.2%±9.2Highest
ME: 22.4%
17.4%±4.9Lowest
ME: 22.4%
20.8%±3.3
ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
40.4%Highest
ME: 36.2%
21%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
26.1%
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
1.5%±4.4Lowest
ME: 5.8%
2.8%±1.4Highest
ME: 5.8%
2%±1.6
ME: 5.8%
Cornish and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$68,333±$52k
9% below ME
$69,038±$4kHighest
8% below ME
$62,500±$5kLowest
16% below ME
Cornish and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$198,600±$64k
33% below ME
$274,200±$84kHighest
8% below ME
$191,900±$42kLowest
35% below ME
Cornish and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly —
$1,196±$148
5% above ME
—
Property taxmedian, yearly
$1,773Lowest
42% below ME
$2,309
24% below ME
$2,342Highest
23% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent —
48.8%±17.5Lowest
ME: 48.4%
100%±100Highest
ME: 48.4%
Marshfield and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
20.5%Highest
ME: 10.7%
6.3%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
9.1%
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
88.9%
ME: 74.3%
82.1%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
94.6%Highest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1975Lowest
2 yrs older than ME
1976
1 yr older than ME
1978Highest
1 yr newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
24 min
about the ME average
31 minHighest
27% above ME
13 minLowest
46% below ME
Work from home
3.2%±2.6Lowest
ME: 15.9%
8.5%±2.4
ME: 15.9%
11%±7Highest
ME: 15.9%
Marshfield and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
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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.