Compare towns
Cornish vs Sumner vs Canton vs Princeton
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).
Sumner has the oldest population (median age 56.1).
Princeton has the most kids (28.2% under 18).
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 | Sumner | Canton | Princeton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,024 |
845Lowest |
1,191Highest |
866 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.9% ME: +2.6% |
+13.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.2±13.3 13% below ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
41.4±7.2 8% below ME |
39.1±9.4Lowest 13% below ME |
| Sumner 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% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
28.2%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Princeton 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% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.7%±6.6 ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±3.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.1% ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
23.7% ME: 36.2% |
24.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Canton and Princeton 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 |
$57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
$52,458±$35kLowest 30% below ME |
$56,406±$26k 25% below ME |
| Cornish and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | — | $150,000±$73k 49% below ME |
$165,000±$50kHighest 44% below ME |
$120,800±$82kLowest 59% below ME |
| Canton and Sumner 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 |
— | $485±$18Lowest 57% below ME |
$675±$351 41% below ME |
| Cornish and Princeton 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 |
$2,167 29% below ME |
$2,277Highest 25% below ME |
$1,573Lowest 48% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31%±22.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
88.9%±33.8 ME: 48.4% |
57.7%±23.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.4% ME: 10.7% |
15.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.2% ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.4% ME: 74.3% |
74.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 19 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 29% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
35 min 42% above ME |
22 minLowest 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 7.4%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.1%±6.4 ME: 15.9% |
9.6%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 10 | — | Princeton 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.