Compare towns
Jay vs Somerville vs Unity vs Canton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Somerville has the most kids (28.8% under 18).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.6%).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Somerville | Unity | Canton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,657Highest |
837Lowest |
1,858 |
1,191 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
+13.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.5±5.1 12% below ME |
33.5±11.3 25% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
41.4±7.2Highest 8% below ME |
| Canton and Jay 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% |
28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Somerville 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% |
13.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest 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% |
25.7% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
23.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,238±$19k 6% below ME |
$71,250±$15kHighest 5% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$52,458±$35kLowest 30% below ME |
| Somerville 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 |
$218,100±$41kHighest 26% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$165,000±$50kLowest 44% below ME |
| Somerville and Unity 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 |
$1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$485±$18Lowest 57% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,245Lowest 26% below ME |
$2,505 17% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$2,277 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.2%±28.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
88.9%±33.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Canton and Somerville 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% |
17% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7% ME: 74.3% |
85.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 13% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
35 minHighest 42% above ME |
| Work from home | 4.8%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
16.1%±6.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Canton and Unity 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 12 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | — |
| High school in town | Spruce Mountain High School | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 12.4Lowest |
— |
| 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.