Compare towns
Knox vs Mars Hill 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).
Mars Hill has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Mars Hill | Canton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 825Lowest |
1,398Highest |
1,191 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6% ME: +2.6% |
-8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+13.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.1±7.9Lowest 8% below ME |
43.4±3Highest 3% below ME |
41.4±7.2 8% below ME |
| Mars Hill 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% |
22.9%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Mars Hill and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
27.7%±6.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Canton and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mars Hill and Knox 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 |
$65,273±$9kHighest 13% below ME |
$52,458±$35kLowest 30% below ME |
| Mars Hill 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 |
$163,600±$23k 45% below ME |
$165,000±$50kHighest 44% below ME |
| Canton and Mars Hill 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 |
$488±$96 57% below ME |
$485±$18Lowest 57% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,610Lowest 47% below ME |
$1,843 39% below ME |
$2,277Highest 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.3%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1 ME: 48.4% |
88.9%±33.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 8.6% ME: 10.7% |
9.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1% ME: 74.3% |
70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 22% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
35 minHighest 42% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±7.4 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.1%±6.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Canton and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 42/MSAD 42 | — |
| High school in town | — | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.0 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.