Compare towns
Chesterville vs Mount Vernon vs Jay
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).
Mount Vernon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.9%).
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.
| Measure | Chesterville | Mount Vernon | Jay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,397Lowest |
1,716 |
4,657Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8% ME: +2.6% |
+4.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.8±4Lowest 16% below ME |
47.1±6.2Highest 5% above ME |
39.5±5.1 12% below ME |
| Mount Vernon and Jay 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% |
20.7%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Chesterville and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.5%±1.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
42.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Jay and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,635±$10kLowest 18% below ME |
$74,395±$6kHighest about the ME average |
$70,238±$19k 6% below ME |
| Mount Vernon 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±$40k 28% below ME |
$264,200±$23kHighest 11% below ME |
$168,600±$27kLowest 43% below ME |
| Mount Vernon and Chesterville 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 |
$893±$168 22% below ME |
$759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
| Chesterville and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,194Lowest 28% below ME |
$2,832Highest 7% below ME |
$2,245 26% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.8%±30.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±36.9 ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Jay and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.4% ME: 74.3% |
89.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
28.3%±11.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #86 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 38 | RSU 73 |
| High school in town | — | None 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.