Compare towns
Denmark vs Jay vs Brownfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Denmark has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.3%).
Jay has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Brownfield has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
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 | Denmark | Jay | Brownfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,054Lowest |
4,657Highest |
1,830 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.4±5Highest 21% above ME |
39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
39.9±6.8 11% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
26.7%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Brownfield and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.8%±7.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.7% ME: 36.2% |
25.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Jay and Denmark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,167±$10k 14% below ME |
$70,238±$19kHighest 6% below ME |
$60,889±$5kLowest 19% below ME |
| Jay and Denmark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $250,000±$68k 16% below ME |
$168,600±$27kLowest 43% below ME |
$287,500±$36kHighest 3% below ME |
| Brownfield and Denmark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,409±$207 24% above ME |
$759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$1,617±$554Highest 42% above ME |
| Brownfield and Denmark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,259 26% below ME |
$2,245Lowest 26% below ME |
$2,976Highest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 90.6%±31Highest ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
61.8%±43.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Denmark and Brownfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% ME: 10.7% |
9.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 39% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
44 minHighest 80% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.7%±6.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.5%±4.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Denmark and Brownfield 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 72/MSAD 72 |
| High school 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.