Compare towns
Anson vs Jay vs Brownville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Anson has the most kids (26.2% under 18).
Jay has the most expensive homes ($169k median).
Brownville has the most people working from home (6.8%).
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 | Anson | Jay | Brownville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 680Lowest |
4,657Highest |
983 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -9.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-8.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.3±15.2 3% below ME |
39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
46.5±4.6Highest 4% above ME |
| Brownville and Anson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.2%±5Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Anson and Brownville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 8.2%±5.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
28.1%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Brownville and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 5.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
13.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±3.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Jay and Brownville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,770±$61kHighest 17% above ME |
$70,238±$19k 6% below ME |
$64,063±$15kLowest 14% below ME |
| Anson and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $100,400±$28k 66% below ME |
$168,600±$27kHighest 43% below ME |
$96,700±$22kLowest 67% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $914±$247 20% below ME |
$759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$1,057±$120Highest 7% below ME |
| Brownville and Anson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,207Lowest 60% below ME |
$2,245Highest 26% below ME |
$1,250 59% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±37.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
26.2%±19.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Anson and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.8% ME: 10.7% |
18.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 27 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1955 22 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 26% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
37 minHighest 49% above ME |
| Work from home | 0%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
6.8%±4.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Brownville and Jay 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 41/MSAD 41 |
| High school in town | — | Spruce Mountain High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.