Compare towns
Canton vs Cornish vs Unity vs Hodgdon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.6%).
Cornish has the most expensive homes ($274k median).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Hodgdon has the shortest commute (15 min average).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity | Hodgdon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,191Lowest |
1,803 |
1,858Highest |
1,428 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.5% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
-1.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±7.2 8% below ME |
39±8.5 13% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
42.2±6.2Highest 6% below ME |
| Hodgdon and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.4%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
18.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
25.4%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hodgdon and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.7%±6.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Canton and Hodgdon 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% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $52,458±$35kLowest 30% below ME |
$69,038±$4kHighest 8% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$54,519±$11k 27% below ME |
| Cornish and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $165,000±$50k 44% below ME |
$274,200±$84kHighest 8% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$159,300±$25kLowest 46% below ME |
| Cornish and Unity 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 |
$1,196±$148Highest 5% above ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$695±$426 39% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,277 25% below ME |
$2,309 24% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,614Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.9%±33.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.3%±24.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Canton and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.4% ME: 10.7% |
6.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
12.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.4% ME: 74.3% |
82.1% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 42% above ME |
31 min 27% above ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
15 minLowest 40% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.1%±6.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Canton and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 70/MSAD 70 |
| High school in town | — | — | Ecology Learning Ctr | Hodgdon Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.4Lowest |
13.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.