Compare towns
Canton vs Effingham vs Jay
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 (20.4% under 18).
Effingham has the most expensive homes ($323k median).
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 | Canton | Effingham | Jay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,191Lowest |
1,912 |
4,657Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+15.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.4±7.2 6% above U.S. |
46.9±12.4Highest 21% above U.S. |
39.5±5.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Effingham 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 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Canton and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.7%±6.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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+ | 23.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
20.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.1%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Jay and Canton 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 35% below U.S. |
$76,607±$14kHighest 5% below U.S. |
$70,238±$19k 13% below U.S. |
| Effingham and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $165,000±$50kLowest 50% below U.S. |
$322,700±$30kHighest 3% below U.S. |
$168,600±$27k 49% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $485±$18Lowest 66% below U.S. |
$1,090±$121Highest 23% below U.S. |
$759±$141 46% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,277 27% below U.S. |
$5,163Highest 66% above U.S. |
$2,245Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.9%±33.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
13.6%±40.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.2%±28.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Canton and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 33% above U.S. |
32 min 19% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.1%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #86 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | 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 |
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.