Compare towns
Jay vs Levant vs Lisbon 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 shortest commute (21 min average).
Levant has the most expensive homes ($269k median).
Lisbon has the most people working from home (33.9%).
Canton has the oldest population (median age 41.4).
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 | Levant | Lisbon | Canton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,657Highest |
3,069 |
3,612 |
1,191Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.1% ME: +2.6% |
— | +13.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.5±5.1 12% below ME |
39.7±2.2 11% below ME |
37.4±1.5Lowest 17% below ME |
41.4±7.2Highest 8% below ME |
| Canton and Levant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.8%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
25.4%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Lisbon and Canton 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% |
18.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
12.4%±3.4Lowest 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% |
21.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
27.1% ME: 36.2% |
23.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Jay and Lisbon 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 |
$86,071±$22k 15% above ME |
$86,221±$14kHighest 15% above ME |
$52,458±$35kLowest 30% below ME |
| Lisbon and Levant 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 |
$268,500±$27kHighest 9% below ME |
$237,200±$50k 20% below ME |
$165,000±$50kLowest 44% below ME |
| Levant and Lisbon 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 |
$1,370±$120Highest 20% above ME |
$805±$259 29% below ME |
$485±$18Lowest 57% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,245Lowest 26% below ME |
$2,580 15% below ME |
$3,229Highest 6% above ME |
$2,277 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.2%±28.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.7%±14 ME: 48.4% |
59.6%±23.5 ME: 48.4% |
88.9%±33.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Canton and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
7.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.4% ME: 74.3% |
77.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1995Highest 18 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 13% below ME |
31 min 27% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
35 minHighest 42% above ME |
| Work from home | 4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
33.9%±24.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.1%±6.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Lisbon and Canton 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 | #124 of 133 in ME | #60 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 73 | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | — | — |
| 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.