Compare towns
Canton vs Mapleton vs Strong vs Jay
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%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
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 | Mapleton | Strong | Jay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,191Lowest |
1,884 |
1,249 |
4,657Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±7.2 8% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
47.5±8.9Highest 6% above ME |
39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
| Strong and Mapleton 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%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Canton and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
29.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $52,458±$35k 30% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$70,238±$19k 6% below ME |
| Mapleton 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 44% below ME |
$191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
$168,600±$27k 43% below ME |
| Mapleton and Strong 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 |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$920±$276Highest 19% below ME |
$759±$141 33% below ME |
| Strong and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,277Highest 25% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
$2,245 26% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.9%±33.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
| 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 ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.4% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 2 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 42% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.1%±6.4 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | — | #86 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 73 |
| High school in town | — | None 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 | 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.