What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bucksport has the most people working from home (10.1%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bucksport	Jay
People
Population	5,016Highest	4,657Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.4%Highest ME: +2.6%	-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	42.7±12.2Highest 5% below ME	39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME
	Bucksport and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.9%±5.3Highest ME: 18.1%	17.5%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Bucksport and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26.6%±7.7Highest ME: 22.4%	19.3%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Bucksport and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27.3%Lowest ME: 36.2%	29.7%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.3%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8%	4.5%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8%
	Jay and Bucksport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$64,720±$21kLowest 13% below ME	$70,238±$19kHighest 6% below ME
	Jay and Bucksport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$252,300±$32kHighest 15% below ME	$168,600±$27kLowest 43% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$882±$92Highest 23% below ME	$759±$141Lowest 33% below ME
	Bucksport and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,021Lowest 33% below ME	$2,245Highest 26% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.9%±17Highest ME: 48.4%	27.2%±28.8Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Bucksport and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.7%Lowest ME: 10.7%	9.8%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.3%Lowest ME: 74.3%	82.7%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME	1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 15% above ME	21 minLowest 13% below ME
Work from home	10.1%±5.9Highest ME: 15.9%	4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Bucksport 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	#68 of 133 in ME	#86 of 133 in ME
School district	RSU 25	RSU 73
High school in town	Bucksport High School	Spruce Mountain High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Highest	12.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.