Compare towns
Canton vs Cornish vs Sumner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Canton has the most kids (20.4% under 18).
Cornish has the highest household income ($69k).
Sumner has the oldest population (median age 56.1).
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 | Cornish | Sumner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,191Highest |
1,024 |
845Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | +5.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±7.2 8% below ME |
39.2±13.3Lowest 13% below ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
| Sumner and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.4%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
10.5%±5.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Canton and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.7%±6.6 ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±6.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
16.1% ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Canton and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $52,458±$35kLowest 30% below ME |
$68,686±$2kHighest 8% below ME |
$57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
| Cornish and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $165,000±$50kHighest 44% below ME |
— | $150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
| Canton and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $485±$18Lowest 57% below ME |
$1,135±$141Highest about the ME average |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,277Highest 25% below ME |
$1,925Lowest 37% below ME |
$2,167 29% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.9%±33.8 ME: 48.4% |
31%±22.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.3% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.4% ME: 74.3% |
79.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 2 yrs older than ME |
1958Lowest 19 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 42% above ME |
32 minLowest 29% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
| Work from home | 16.1%±6.4 ME: 15.9% |
7.4%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | — | RSU 10 |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town |
| 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.