Compare towns
Canton vs Unity vs Hartford
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%).
Unity has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Hartford has the highest household income ($87k).
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 | Unity | Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,191Lowest |
1,858Highest |
1,314 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
+1.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±7.2 8% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
42.2±6.5Highest 6% below ME |
| Hartford 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% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.4%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hartford 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% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.9%±0.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
17.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $52,458±$35kLowest 30% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$87,115±$40kHighest 17% above ME |
| Hartford 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 |
$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
$189,200±$44k 36% below ME |
| Unity and Hartford 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 |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$3,024Highest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.9%±33.8 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Hartford and Canton 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% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.4% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
97.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 42% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
41 minHighest 68% above ME |
| Work from home | 16.1%±6.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
5.2%±3.2Lowest 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.