Compare towns
Canton vs Freedom vs Unity
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%).
Freedom has the most homeowners (90.2%).
Unity has the shortest commute (21 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 | Freedom | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,191 |
670Lowest |
1,858Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±7.2Highest 8% below ME |
40.1±2.7 10% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
| Canton and Freedom 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% |
22.2%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Freedom 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% |
22.1%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Canton and Freedom 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% |
23.2% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
0.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $52,458±$35kLowest 30% below ME |
$64,861±$12kHighest 13% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
| Freedom 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±$50kLowest 44% below ME |
$190,600±$69k 36% below ME |
$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
| Unity and Freedom 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 |
— | $873±$73Highest 23% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,277Lowest 25% below ME |
$2,328 23% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.9%±33.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.1%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
| Canton and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.5% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.4% ME: 74.3% |
90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 42% above ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.1%±6.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 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 |
| High school in town | — | — | Ecology Learning Ctr |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.4 |
| 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.