Compare towns
Knox vs Wayne vs Canton vs Brooks
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).
Wayne has the most expensive homes ($363k median).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.6%).
Brooks has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Wayne | Canton | Brooks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 825Lowest |
1,101 |
1,191 |
1,208Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6% ME: +2.6% |
-5% ME: +2.6% |
+13.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.1±7.9Lowest 8% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
41.4±7.2 8% below ME |
45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
| Wayne and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Canton and Brooks 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% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.7%±6.6 ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne and Canton 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% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Wayne 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 |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$52,458±$35kLowest 30% below ME |
$59,130±$10k 21% below ME |
| Wayne 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 |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$165,000±$50k 44% below ME |
$196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$47Highest 21% above ME |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
$485±$18Lowest 57% below ME |
$1,116±$112 about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,610Lowest 47% below ME |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
$2,277 25% below ME |
$2,096 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.3%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
88.9%±33.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Canton and Wayne 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% |
7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.4% ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.4% ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 22% above ME |
30 min 24% above ME |
35 minHighest 42% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±7.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.1%±6.4 ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 38 | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.