Compare towns
Knox vs Appleton vs Thorndike vs Canton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Knox has the most affordable homes ($160k median).
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
Thorndike has the most people working from home (44.7%).
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 | Knox | Appleton | Thorndike | Canton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 825Lowest |
1,360 |
1,403Highest |
1,191 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+13.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.1±7.9 8% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
41.4±7.2 8% below ME |
| Appleton and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.7%±6.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Canton and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.2% ME: 36.2% |
23.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Knox and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $64,821±$9k 13% below ME |
$53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$78,438±$14kHighest 5% above ME |
$52,458±$35kLowest 30% below ME |
| Thorndike and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $159,600±$26kLowest 46% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$205,600±$88k 31% below ME |
$165,000±$50k 44% below ME |
| Appleton and Thorndike are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$47Highest 21% above ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$836±$317 27% below ME |
$485±$18Lowest 57% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,610Lowest 47% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,537 16% below ME |
$2,277 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.3%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100 ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5 ME: 48.4% |
88.9%±33.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Canton and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.6% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
87.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 22% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
35 min 42% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±7.4 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.1%±6.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Mt View High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.7 |
— |
| 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.