Compare towns
Benton vs Jay vs Fairfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Benton has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
Jay has the highest household income ($70k).
Fairfield has the most people working from home (12.1%).
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 | Benton | Jay | Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,770Lowest |
4,657 |
6,519Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.8±6 4% below ME |
39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
43.1±4Highest 4% below ME |
| Fairfield and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.8%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Benton and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21%±3.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
17.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Benton and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.2% ME: 36.2% |
29.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Jay and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,437±$5kLowest 18% below ME |
$70,238±$19kHighest 6% below ME |
$64,101±$11k 14% below ME |
| Jay and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $176,700±$23kHighest 40% below ME |
$168,600±$27k 43% below ME |
$164,300±$28kLowest 45% below ME |
| Benton and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,110±$123Highest about the ME average |
$759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$1,001±$101 12% below ME |
| Benton and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,758Lowest 42% below ME |
$2,245Highest 26% below ME |
$2,217 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±12.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Benton and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10% ME: 10.7% |
9.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.7% ME: 74.3% |
78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 21% below ME |
21 min 13% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 6.7%±4.9 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.1%±5.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Fairfield and Benton 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 | #85 of 133 in ME | #86 of 133 in ME | #47 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 49/MSAD 49 | RSU 73 | RSU 49/MSAD 49 · Maine Academy of Natural Sciences |
| High school in town | None in town | Spruce Mountain High School | Lawrence High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Lowest |
13.3Highest |
| 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.