Compare towns
Unity vs Steuben vs Cornish vs Chesterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Unity has the most people working from home (15.8%).
Steuben has the most affordable homes ($174k median).
Cornish has the most expensive homes ($274k median).
Chesterville has the most kids (31.3% under 18).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity | Steuben | Cornish | Chesterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,858Highest |
1,388Lowest |
1,803 |
1,397 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.5% ME: +2.6% |
-1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
40.1±8.5Highest 10% below ME |
39±8.5 13% below ME |
37.8±4 16% below ME |
| Steuben and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
18.2%±3.3 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+ | 11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±1 ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
15%±3 ME: 22.4% |
| Cornish and Steuben are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
18.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
20.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$76,466±$4kHighest about the ME average |
$69,038±$4k 8% below ME |
$61,635±$10kLowest 18% below ME |
| Steuben and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$173,900±$32kLowest 41% below ME |
$274,200±$84kHighest 8% below ME |
$214,000±$40k 28% below ME |
| Cornish and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $873±$73 23% below ME |
$678±$319Lowest 40% below ME |
$1,196±$148Highest 5% above ME |
$1,088±$73 4% below ME |
| Cornish and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$2,029Lowest 33% below ME |
$2,309 24% below ME |
$2,194 28% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
26.3%±87.8 ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.8%±30.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Cornish and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.3% ME: 10.7% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.1% ME: 74.3% |
86.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
28 min 14% above ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Steuben are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 24 | — | — |
| High school in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.4 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.