Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Jay vs Richmond
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 highest household income ($91k).
Jay has the most affordable homes ($169k median).
Richmond has the most people working from home (16.5%).
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 | Jay | Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,188Lowest |
4,657Highest |
3,566 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5% ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±10Highest about the ME average |
39.5±5.1 12% below ME |
36.9±3.8Lowest 18% below ME |
| Bowdoin and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Richmond and Bowdoin 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% |
19.3%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.6%±3.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Jay and Richmond 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% |
29.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,239±$13kHighest 22% above ME |
$70,238±$19k 6% below ME |
$65,854±$10kLowest 12% below ME |
| Bowdoin and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $292,800±$71kHighest about the ME average |
$168,600±$27kLowest 43% below ME |
$242,700±$27k 18% below ME |
| Bowdoin and Richmond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$1,077±$166Highest 5% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,375Highest 11% above ME |
$2,245Lowest 26% below ME |
$3,143 4% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
47%±23.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Richmond and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11% ME: 10.7% |
9.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.7% ME: 74.3% |
69.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
29 min 19% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Richmond 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 | #86 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 73 | Richmond Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Spruce Mountain High School | Richmond High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
9.3Lowest |
| 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.