Compare towns
Durham vs Jay vs Warren
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Jay has the most affordable homes ($169k median).
Warren has the most renters (18.7% rent).
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 | Durham | Jay | Warren |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,262Lowest |
4,657 |
4,932Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±5.9Highest 5% below ME |
39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
42.2±2.2 6% below ME |
| Durham and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Durham and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
12%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Jay and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.7% ME: 36.2% |
21.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Warren and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,181±$5kHighest 33% above ME |
$70,238±$19kLowest 6% below ME |
$74,616±$21k about the ME average |
| Durham and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,200±$34kHighest 9% above ME |
$168,600±$27kLowest 43% below ME |
$232,700±$32k 22% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$1,125±$456Highest about the ME average |
| Warren and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,781Highest 25% above ME |
$2,245Lowest 26% below ME |
$2,832 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±40.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
52.1%±29.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Warren and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.7% ME: 74.3% |
81.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
23 min 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.6%±9.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Durham and Warren 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 | #14 of 133 in ME | #86 of 133 in ME | #120 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 05 | RSU 73 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| 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.