Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Jay vs West Gardiner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bowdoin has the most renters (15.3% rent).
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
West Gardiner has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | West Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,188 |
471Lowest |
3,696Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±10 14% above U.S. |
52.1±10.5Highest 34% above U.S. |
43.5±2.8Lowest 12% above U.S. |
| Jay and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±6.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.2%±7.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±5.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Bowdoin and West Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±6.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Gardiner and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±5.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| West Gardiner and Bowdoin 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 13% above U.S. |
$74,792±$25kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$96,172±$30kHighest 19% above U.S. |
| West Gardiner 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 12% below U.S. |
$234,200±$45kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$305,100±$42kHighest 8% below U.S. |
| West Gardiner and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | — | $1,087±$150 23% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,375 8% above U.S. |
$3,588Highest 15% above U.S. |
$2,282Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±9.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| West Gardiner and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
97%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992 12 yrs newer than U.S. |
2001Highest 21 yrs newer than U.S. |
1987Lowest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
40 minHighest 50% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.7%±7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±13.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.8%±7.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Jay and West Gardiner 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 | — | #90 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.