Compare towns
Cornish vs Appleton vs Canton vs Jonesboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornish has the highest household income ($69k).
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
Canton has the most people working from home (16.1%).
Jonesboro has the shortest commute (19 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 | Cornish | Appleton | Canton | Jonesboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,024 |
1,360Highest |
1,191 |
570Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+13.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.2±13.3 13% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
41.4±7.2 8% below ME |
38.3±13Lowest 15% below ME |
| Appleton and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 10.5%±5.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Canton and Jonesboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±6.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
27.7%±6.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.4%±3 ME: 22.4% |
| Canton and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.7% ME: 36.2% |
18.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $68,686±$2kHighest 8% below ME |
$53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$52,458±$35kLowest 30% below ME |
$63,750±$14k 15% below ME |
| Cornish and Jonesboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | — | $235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$165,000±$50k 44% below ME |
$151,400±$75kLowest 49% below ME |
| Appleton and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,135±$141Highest about the ME average |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$485±$18Lowest 57% below ME |
$1,081±$145 5% below ME |
| Cornish and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,925 37% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,277 25% below ME |
$1,253Lowest 59% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31%±22.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100 ME: 48.4% |
88.9%±33.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±32.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Canton and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
8.4% ME: 10.7% |
14%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.4% ME: 74.3% |
81% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 19 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 29% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
35 minHighest 42% above ME |
19 minLowest 22% below ME |
| Work from home | 7.4%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
16.1%±6.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Canton and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | — | Jonesboro Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.