Compare towns
Buxton vs Jay vs Winslow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Buxton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.3%).
Jay has the most affordable homes ($169k median).
Winslow has the most people working from home (10.7%).
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 | Buxton | Jay | Winslow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,512Highest |
4,657Lowest |
8,023 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.5±3.9 about the ME average |
39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
47.6±3.6Highest 6% above ME |
| Winslow and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.3%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Jay and Winslow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
21.8%±2.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Winslow and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.7% ME: 36.2% |
29.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
5.6%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Winslow and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,144±$21kHighest 34% above ME |
$70,238±$19kLowest 6% below ME |
$70,917±$9k 5% below ME |
| Buxton and Winslow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,800±$21kHighest 20% above ME |
$168,600±$27kLowest 43% below ME |
$225,300±$11k 24% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,613±$266Highest 42% above ME |
$759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$1,041±$221 9% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,422Highest 13% above ME |
$2,245Lowest 26% below ME |
$2,809 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±26.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
56.7%±9.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Winslow and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.8% ME: 10.7% |
10.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3% ME: 74.3% |
82.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
76.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 39% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
23 min 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±3.1 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.7%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Winslow and Buxton 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 | #104 of 133 in ME | #86 of 133 in ME | #57 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 73 | Winslow Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Spruce Mountain High School | Winslow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
12.3Lowest |
| 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.