Compare towns
Cornish vs Jefferson vs Baldwin vs Canton
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 most renters (20.8% rent).
Jefferson has the most kids (28% under 18).
Baldwin has the oldest population (median age 50.6).
Canton has the most people working from home (16.1%).
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 | Jefferson | Baldwin | Canton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,024Lowest |
2,647Highest |
1,170 |
1,191 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.1% ME: +2.6% |
-0.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+13.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.2±13.3 13% below ME |
38.1±4.9Lowest 15% below ME |
50.6±4.6Highest 13% above ME |
41.4±7.2 8% below ME |
| Baldwin 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% |
28%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
12.1%±3 ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Jefferson and Canton 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% |
18.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
27.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.7%±6.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
27.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.7% ME: 36.2% |
23.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.6%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Baldwin and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $68,686±$2k 8% below ME |
$85,078±$17kHighest 14% above ME |
$68,045±$8k 9% below ME |
$52,458±$35kLowest 30% below ME |
| Jefferson and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | — | $311,600±$35kHighest 5% above ME |
$263,200±$38k 11% below ME |
$165,000±$50kLowest 44% below ME |
| Jefferson and Baldwin 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 |
$1,120±$130 about the ME average |
— | $485±$18Lowest 57% below ME |
| Cornish and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,925Lowest 37% below ME |
$2,587Highest 15% below ME |
$2,540 16% below ME |
$2,277 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31%±22.9 ME: 48.4% |
29.8%±25.1 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±42.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
88.9%±33.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 8.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
8.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.8% ME: 74.3% |
89%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 19 yrs older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 29% above ME |
30 minLowest 23% above ME |
32 min 32% above ME |
35 minHighest 42% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.4%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.9%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.8 ME: 15.9% |
16.1%±6.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Canton and Jefferson 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 | — | #45 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | — | Jefferson Public Schools | — | — |
| High school 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.