Compare towns
Canton vs Gray vs Ogunquit vs Ashland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Canton has the most kids (22.9% under 18).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Ashland has the youngest population (median age 42.1).
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 | Canton | Gray | Ogunquit | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 24,748Highest |
8,429 |
1,379Lowest |
18,873 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.3 10% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
42.1±1.4Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Canton and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 67.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $143,381±$9kHighest 78% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$127,539±$11k 58% above U.S. |
| Canton and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $710,600±$27k 114% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$611,700±$18k 84% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,315±$178 64% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
— | $2,452±$298Highest 74% above U.S. |
| Ashland and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,560 110% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$7,444Highest 139% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.2%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 36% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.7%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #81 of 282 in MA | #10 of 133 in ME | — | #42 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — | Ashland |
| High school in town | Canton High | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — | Ashland High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
12.5Lowest |
— | 14.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.