Compare towns
Jay vs Strong vs Sullivan 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).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Sullivan has the most expensive homes ($222k 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 | Strong | Sullivan | Canton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,657Highest |
1,249 |
1,246 |
1,191Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.4% ME: +2.6% |
+13.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
47.5±8.9Highest 6% above ME |
47.1±15 5% above ME |
41.4±7.2 8% below ME |
| Strong and Sullivan 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% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
18%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Canton and Strong 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% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
22.5%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
27.7%±6.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Canton and Sullivan 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% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
23.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Sullivan 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 |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$59,643±$14k 20% below ME |
$52,458±$35k 30% below ME |
| Jay and Sullivan 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 |
$183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
$222,000±$33kHighest 25% below ME |
$165,000±$50kLowest 44% below ME |
| Sullivan and Strong 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 |
$920±$276Highest 19% below ME |
$883±$114 22% below ME |
$485±$18Lowest 57% below ME |
| Strong and Sullivan 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 |
$1,950Lowest 36% below ME |
$2,228 27% below ME |
$2,277Highest 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
34.9%±23.6 ME: 48.4% |
88.9%±33.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Canton and Sullivan 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% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.6% ME: 10.7% |
8.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7% ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
85.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 13% below ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
35 minHighest 42% above ME |
| Work from home | 4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.6%±7.9 ME: 15.9% |
16.1%±6.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Strong 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 | — | — | — |
| School district | RSU 73 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 24 | — |
| High school in town | Spruce Mountain High School | None in town | Sumner Memorial High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 10.5Lowest |
— |
| 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.