Compare towns
Chesterville vs Jay vs Phillips vs Steuben
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chesterville has the most kids (31.3% under 18).
Jay has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Phillips has the most people working from home (16.8%).
Steuben has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.2%).
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 | Chesterville | Jay | Phillips | Steuben |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,397 |
4,657Highest |
1,094Lowest |
1,388 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8% ME: +2.6% |
-4.8% ME: +2.6% |
-12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.8±4Lowest 16% below ME |
39.5±5.1 12% below ME |
49.7±3.7Highest 11% above ME |
40.1±8.5 10% below ME |
| Phillips and Steuben are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Chesterville and Phillips are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
21.3%±2.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±1 ME: 22.4% |
| Phillips and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.4% ME: 36.2% |
29.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.7% ME: 36.2% |
18.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Steuben and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $61,635±$10k 18% below ME |
$70,238±$19k 6% below ME |
$45,385±$12kLowest 39% below ME |
$76,466±$4kHighest about the ME average |
| Steuben and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $214,000±$40kHighest 28% below ME |
$168,600±$27kLowest 43% below ME |
$190,800±$18k 36% below ME |
$173,900±$32k 41% below ME |
| Chesterville and Phillips are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,088±$73Highest 4% below ME |
$759±$141 33% below ME |
$483±$377Lowest 58% below ME |
$678±$319 40% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,194 28% below ME |
$2,245 26% below ME |
$2,582Highest 15% below ME |
$2,029Lowest 33% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.8%±30.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
40.4%±33Highest ME: 48.4% |
26.3%±87.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Phillips and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12% ME: 10.7% |
9.8% ME: 10.7% |
17.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.4% ME: 74.3% |
82.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.3% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
23 min 8% below ME |
28 minHighest 14% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.8%±7Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Phillips and Steuben 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 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 24 |
| High school in town | — | Spruce Mountain High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.