Compare towns
Appleton vs Canton vs Cornish
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
Canton has the most people working from home (16.1%).
Cornish has the highest household income ($69k).
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 | Appleton | Canton | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Highest |
1,191 |
1,024Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+13.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
41.4±7.2 8% below ME |
39.2±13.3Lowest 13% below ME |
| Appleton and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
10.5%±5.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Canton and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
27.7%±6.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±6.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Canton and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.7% ME: 36.2% |
16.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$52,458±$35kLowest 30% below ME |
$68,686±$2kHighest 8% below ME |
| Cornish and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$165,000±$50kLowest 44% below ME |
— |
| Appleton and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$485±$18Lowest 57% below ME |
$1,135±$141Highest about the ME average |
| Cornish and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,277 25% below ME |
$1,925Lowest 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100 ME: 48.4% |
88.9%±33.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
31%±22.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Canton and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.4% ME: 10.7% |
8.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.4% ME: 74.3% |
79.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
1958Lowest 19 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 23% above ME |
35 minHighest 42% above ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
16.1%±6.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.4%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Canton and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| 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.