Compare towns
Palmyra vs Stetson vs Chesterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Palmyra has the most affordable homes ($155k median).
Stetson has the most people working from home (11%).
Chesterville has the most kids (31.3% 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.
| Measure | Palmyra | Stetson | Chesterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,209Highest |
1,151Lowest |
1,397 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.1±4.8Lowest 17% below ME |
42.2±5.1Highest 6% below ME |
37.8±4 16% below ME |
| Stetson and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 29.2%±5.8 ME: 18.1% |
22.4%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Chesterville and Palmyra are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.7%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
14.2%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
15%±3 ME: 22.4% |
| Palmyra and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
19.8% ME: 36.2% |
20.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2 ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Palmyra and Stetson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,543±$17kLowest 19% below ME |
$76,023±$28kHighest about the ME average |
$61,635±$10k 18% below ME |
| Stetson and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $154,900±$34kLowest 48% below ME |
$205,700±$34k 31% below ME |
$214,000±$40kHighest 28% below ME |
| Chesterville and Stetson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $733±$119Lowest 36% below ME |
$800±$377 30% below ME |
$1,088±$73Highest 4% below ME |
| Chesterville and Stetson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,614Lowest 47% below ME |
$1,962 35% below ME |
$2,194Highest 28% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.2%±14.9 ME: 48.4% |
73.7%±42Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.8%±30.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Stetson and Palmyra are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.4% ME: 10.7% |
12%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
86.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
1993 16 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 7.5%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
11%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Stetson and Palmyra are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| 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.