Compare towns
Porter vs Steuben vs Chesterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Porter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Steuben has the highest household income ($76k).
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 | Porter | Steuben | Chesterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,746Highest |
1,388Lowest |
1,397 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2% ME: +2.6% |
-1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.9±7.9Highest 9% below ME |
40.1±8.5 10% below ME |
37.8±4Lowest 16% below ME |
| Porter and Steuben are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.8%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Chesterville and Steuben are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±1 ME: 22.4% |
15%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 14%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
18.9% ME: 36.2% |
20.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Steuben and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,417±$9kLowest 19% below ME |
$76,466±$4kHighest about the ME average |
$61,635±$10k 18% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $226,100±$20kHighest 24% below ME |
$173,900±$32kLowest 41% below ME |
$214,000±$40k 28% below ME |
| Porter and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $678±$319Lowest 40% below ME |
$1,088±$73Highest 4% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,841Lowest 39% below ME |
$2,029 33% below ME |
$2,194Highest 28% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±8.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
26.3%±87.8 ME: 48.4% |
21.8%±30.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Porter and Steuben are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.8% ME: 10.7% |
5.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
86.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 30% above ME |
28 min 14% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 15.5%±5.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Porter and Steuben are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 24 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.