Compare towns
Jay vs Brooks vs Canton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Jay has the highest household income ($70k).
Brooks has the most expensive homes ($197k median).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.6%).
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 | Jay | Brooks | Canton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,657Highest |
1,208 |
1,191Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8% ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+13.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
41.4±7.2 8% below ME |
| Brooks and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Canton and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.7%±6.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Canton and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
23.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,238±$19kHighest 6% below ME |
$59,130±$10k 21% below ME |
$52,458±$35kLowest 30% below ME |
| Jay and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $168,600±$27k 43% below ME |
$196,700±$33kHighest 34% below ME |
$165,000±$50kLowest 44% below ME |
| Brooks and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $759±$141 33% below ME |
$1,116±$112Highest about the ME average |
$485±$18Lowest 57% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,245 26% below ME |
$2,096Lowest 31% below ME |
$2,277Highest 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
88.9%±33.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Canton and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.8% ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 13% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
35 minHighest 42% above ME |
| Work from home | 4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
16.1%±6.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Canton and Brooks 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 | #86 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 73 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — |
| High school in town | Spruce Mountain High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
— | — |
| 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.