Compare towns
Buxton 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
Buxton has the most expensive homes ($357k median).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.6%).
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 | Buxton | Canton | Jay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,512Highest |
1,191Lowest |
4,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3% ME: +2.6% |
+13.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.5±3.9Highest about the ME average |
41.4±7.2 8% below ME |
39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
| Buxton and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Canton and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.7%±6.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Canton and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Jay and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,144±$21kHighest 34% above ME |
$52,458±$35kLowest 30% below ME |
$70,238±$19k 6% below ME |
| Buxton and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,800±$21kHighest 20% above ME |
$165,000±$50kLowest 44% below ME |
$168,600±$27k 43% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,613±$266Highest 42% above ME |
$485±$18Lowest 57% below ME |
$759±$141 33% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,422Highest 13% above ME |
$2,277 25% below ME |
$2,245Lowest 26% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±26.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
88.9%±33.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Canton and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.4% ME: 10.7% |
9.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.4% ME: 74.3% |
82.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 39% above ME |
35 minHighest 42% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±3.1 ME: 15.9% |
16.1%±6.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Canton and Buxton 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 | #104 of 133 in ME | — | #86 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | — | RSU 73 |
| High school in town | None 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.