Compare towns
Canton vs Ogunquit vs Wells vs Wakefield
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).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Wells has the most affordable homes ($485k median).
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
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 | Ogunquit | Wells | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 24,748 |
1,379Lowest |
11,713 |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.3 10% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Canton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ogunquit and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 67.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $143,381±$9kHighest 78% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14k 66% above U.S. |
| Canton and Wakefield 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. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23kLowest 46% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,315±$178Highest 64% above U.S. |
— | $1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,560 110% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±9.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Canton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.7%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #81 of 282 in MA | — | #22 of 133 in ME | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Canton High | — | Wells High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
— | 11.4 |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.