Compare towns
Canton vs Mars Hill vs Ogunquit vs Jay
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mars Hill has the most renters (29.4% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Jay has the youngest population (median age 39.5).
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 | Mars Hill | Ogunquit | Jay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,191Lowest |
1,398 |
1,379 |
4,657Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.6% ME: +2.6% |
-8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±7.2 8% below ME |
43.4±3 3% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20.4%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Mars Hill and Canton 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% |
24.5%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Mars Hill 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±$35kLowest 30% below ME |
$65,273±$9k 13% below ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$70,238±$19k 6% below ME |
| Ogunquit 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±$50k 44% below ME |
$163,600±$23kLowest 45% below ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$168,600±$27k 43% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $485±$18Lowest 57% below ME |
$488±$96 57% below ME |
— | $759±$141Highest 33% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,277 25% below ME |
$1,843Lowest 39% below ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$2,245 26% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.9%±33.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 8.4% ME: 10.7% |
9.6% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.4% ME: 74.3% |
70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 2 yrs older than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 42% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
21 min 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.1%±6.4 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | — | #86 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 42/MSAD 42 | — | RSU 73 |
| High school in town | — | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S | — | Spruce Mountain High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.0Lowest |
— | 12.7Highest |
| 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.