The Town FilesCanton, Maine
Town in Oxford County · population 1,125 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $165,000
- Household income
- $52,458
- Jan low / Jul high
- 6° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 91 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 41.4
Canton is a town of 1,125 people in Oxford County, Maine. The median home is worth $165,000, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 80% of Maine towns, more of a college town than 76% of Maine towns.
How Canton ranks
Percentile among Maine towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Maine towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Canton is worth $165,000, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $52,458, which is more affordable than 64% of Maine towns. Median rent is $485 a month. 81.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Canton | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $165,000 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | $485 | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $52,458 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 81.4% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 15.2% | — |
Who lives in Canton
| People | Canton | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.4 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 27.7% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 20.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.7% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.4% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 15.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 16.1% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 35.0 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.8% | 90.0% |
Weather in Canton
July highs average 79.9°F and January lows 6.1°F. About 47.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 91.2 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 180 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Canton since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Maine town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 31, 1971 about 1.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 21, 2009.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 21 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on July 11, 1980.
Severe weather in Oxford County since 1996
Oxford County has been included in 37 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, freezing, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 30, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4754: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| September 14, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3598: Hurricane Lee |
| September 6, 2023 | Flood | DR-4737: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| July 6, 2023 | Flood | DR-4719: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| March 22, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4696: Severe Storm And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Oxford County
Oxford County had 17,009 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,809 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Canton itself the ACS puts it at 5.7%.
Towns near Canton
- Jay, ME4.9 mi · 4,620 people · home $168,600
- Chisholm, ME5.0 mi · 1,343 people · home $146,900
- Livermore Falls, ME5.7 mi · 1,540 people · home $98,100
- Dixfield, ME5.8 mi · 2,253 people · home $160,900
- Livermore, ME6.7 mi · 2,127 people · home $221,800
- Hartford, ME6.9 mi · 1,203 people · home $189,200
- Wilton, ME7.7 mi · 2,071 people · home $166,200
- Peru, ME8.0 mi · 1,488 people · home $141,300
Canton questions
Is Canton, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Canton scores better for retirees than 46% of Maine towns and quieter than 38%. 27.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.4).
How much does a house cost in Canton?
The median owner-occupied home in Canton is valued at $165,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $52,458, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $485 a month.
What is the weather like in Canton?
July highs average 79.9°F and January lows 6.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.2 inches of precipitation a year and 91.2 inches of snow.
Does Canton get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Canton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 31, 1971. The typical Maine town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)