Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Hollis vs Jay
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bowdoin has the most kids (19.1% under 18).
Hollis has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.8%).
Jay has the most affordable homes ($169k median).
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 | Bowdoin | Hollis | Jay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,188Lowest |
4,872Highest |
4,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5% ME: +2.6% |
+10.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±10Highest about the ME average |
43.8±4.2 about the ME average |
39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
| Bowdoin and Hollis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±6.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Bowdoin and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
16.8%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Jay and Hollis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.4% ME: 36.2% |
30.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Hollis and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,239±$13k 22% above ME |
$95,950±$24kHighest 28% above ME |
$70,238±$19kLowest 6% below ME |
| Hollis and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $292,800±$71k about the ME average |
$338,900±$27kHighest 14% above ME |
$168,600±$27kLowest 43% below ME |
| Hollis and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,372±$293Highest 20% above ME |
$759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,375Highest 11% above ME |
$2,625 14% below ME |
$2,245Lowest 26% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
48.9%±30.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Hollis and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
87.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±4.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Hollis and Bowdoin 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 | #28 of 133 in ME | #88 of 133 in ME | #86 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 73 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Spruce Mountain High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.7 |
| 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.