Compare towns
Brownfield vs Canton vs Hiram
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brownfield has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.6%).
Hiram has the shortest commute (31 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 | Brownfield | Canton | Hiram |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,830Highest |
1,191Lowest |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1% ME: +2.6% |
+13.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.9±6.8Lowest 11% below ME |
41.4±7.2 8% below ME |
41.6±10.2Highest 7% below ME |
| Hiram and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Brownfield and Hiram are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
27.7%±6.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.7%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Hiram and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,889±$5k 19% below ME |
$52,458±$35kLowest 30% below ME |
$62,813±$10kHighest 16% below ME |
| Hiram and Brownfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $287,500±$36kHighest 3% below ME |
$165,000±$50kLowest 44% below ME |
$256,600±$42k 13% below ME |
| Brownfield and Hiram are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,617±$554Highest 42% above ME |
$485±$18Lowest 57% below ME |
$1,070±$161 6% below ME |
| Brownfield and Hiram are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,976Highest about the ME average |
$2,277 25% below ME |
$2,106Lowest 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.8%±43.7 ME: 48.4% |
88.9%±33.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Canton and Brownfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.4% ME: 10.7% |
12.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 44 minHighest 80% above ME |
35 min 42% above ME |
31 minLowest 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4.5 ME: 15.9% |
16.1%±6.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.6%±3.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Canton and Brownfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 72/MSAD 72 | — | RSU 55/MSAD 55 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Sacopee Valley High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.9 |
| 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.