Compare towns
Cushing vs Jay vs Owls Head
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cushing has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.1%).
Jay has the most affordable homes ($169k median).
Owls Head has the shortest commute (16 min average).
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 | Cushing | Jay | Owls Head |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,460Lowest |
4,657Highest |
1,482 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±7.7 9% above ME |
39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
52.6±6.6Highest 17% above ME |
| Owls Head and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4 ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Jay and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±0.9 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31.9%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.4% ME: 36.2% |
29.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Jay and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,500±$19k 12% above ME |
$70,238±$19kLowest 6% below ME |
$87,325±$7kHighest 17% above ME |
| Owls Head and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $409,800±$44k 38% above ME |
$168,600±$27kLowest 43% below ME |
$413,300±$43kHighest 39% above ME |
| Owls Head and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$1,191±$386 5% above ME |
| Cushing and Owls Head are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,944Highest 30% above ME |
$2,245Lowest 26% below ME |
$2,981 about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.7%±19.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
29.9%±51.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Cushing and Owls Head are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7% ME: 10.7% |
9.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.7% ME: 74.3% |
81.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 5% below ME |
21 min 13% below ME |
16 minLowest 34% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.3%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Cushing and Owls Head 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 13 | RSU 73 | RSU 13 |
| High school in town | None in town | Spruce Mountain High School | None in town |
| 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.