Compare towns
Jay vs Exeter vs Canton vs Wilton
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 shortest commute (21 min average).
Exeter has the highest household income ($84k).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.6%).
Wilton has the most expensive homes ($202k median).
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 | Exeter | Canton | Wilton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,657Highest |
1,093Lowest |
1,191 |
3,862 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8% ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+13.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
41.4±7.2 8% below ME |
46.1±6.6 about the ME average |
| Exeter and Wilton 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% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Wilton and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4 ME: 22.4% |
27.7%±6.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
27%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Canton and Wilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.7% ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
23.7% ME: 36.2% |
31.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Jay and Wilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,238±$19k 6% below ME |
$84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
$52,458±$35kLowest 30% below ME |
$63,396±$23k 15% below ME |
| Exeter and Jay 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 |
$166,700±$39k 44% below ME |
$165,000±$50kLowest 44% below ME |
$202,000±$30kHighest 32% below ME |
| Wilton 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 |
$995±$386Highest 13% below ME |
$485±$18 57% below ME |
$446±$274Lowest 61% below ME |
| Exeter and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,245 26% below ME |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,277 25% below ME |
$2,344Highest 23% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.2%±28.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
88.9%±33.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
52.5%±31.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Canton and Wilton 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% |
8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.4% ME: 10.7% |
14.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7% ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.4% ME: 74.3% |
79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 13% below ME |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
35 min 42% above ME |
28 min 14% above ME |
| Work from home | 4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
16.1%±6.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.1%±7.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Canton and Wilton 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 | — | — | #121 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 73 | — | — | RSU 09 |
| 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 | 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.