Compare towns
Cambridge vs Jay vs Marshfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cambridge has the most expensive homes ($215k median).
Jay has the most affordable homes ($169k median).
Marshfield has the most people working from home (11%).
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 | Cambridge | Jay | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 532 |
4,657Highest |
499Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 38.7±1.1Lowest 14% below ME |
39.5±5.1 12% below ME |
40.9±7.8Highest 9% below ME |
| Marshfield and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±8.6 ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
28.5%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Marshfield and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
20.8%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Marshfield and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±3 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Jay and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,194±$39k 15% below ME |
$70,238±$19kHighest 6% below ME |
$62,500±$5kLowest 16% below ME |
| Jay and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $214,900±$61kHighest 28% below ME |
$168,600±$27kLowest 43% below ME |
$191,900±$42k 35% below ME |
| Cambridge and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $759±$141 33% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,574Lowest 48% below ME |
$2,245 26% below ME |
$2,342Highest 23% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Marshfield and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.8% ME: 10.7% |
9.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1% ME: 74.3% |
82.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 41 minHighest 65% above ME |
21 min 13% below ME |
13 minLowest 46% below ME |
| Work from home | 1.7%±1.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
11%±7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Marshfield 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 | — | #86 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 73 | — |
| High school in town | — | Spruce Mountain High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
— |
| 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.