Compare towns
Avon vs Canton vs Jay
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Avon has the most affordable homes ($142k median).
Canton has the most people working from home (16.1%).
Jay has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Avon | Canton | Jay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 359Lowest |
1,191 |
4,657Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +13.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.1±5.1Highest 5% above ME |
41.4±7.2 8% below ME |
39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
| Avon and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±6.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Avon and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±4.6 ME: 22.4% |
27.7%±6.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Canton and Avon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
23.7% ME: 36.2% |
29.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Jay and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,125±$32k 16% below ME |
$52,458±$35kLowest 30% below ME |
$70,238±$19kHighest 6% below ME |
| Jay and Avon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $141,700±$42kLowest 52% below ME |
$165,000±$50k 44% below ME |
$168,600±$27kHighest 43% below ME |
| Jay and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $465±$30Lowest 59% below ME |
$485±$18 57% below ME |
$759±$141Highest 33% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,469Lowest 52% below ME |
$2,277Highest 25% below ME |
$2,245 26% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 90%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
88.9%±33.8 ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Avon and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.4% ME: 74.3% |
82.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 71% above ME |
35 min 42% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 9.2%±8.1 ME: 15.9% |
16.1%±6.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Canton and Avon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #86 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | — | RSU 73 |
| High school in town | — | — | Spruce Mountain High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.7 |
| 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.