Compare towns
Durham vs Jay vs West Gardiner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has the most people working from home (20.9%).
Jay has the most affordable homes ($169k median).
West Gardiner has the oldest population (median age 43.5).
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 | West Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,262 |
4,657Highest |
3,696Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±5.9 5% below ME |
39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
43.5±2.8Highest about the ME average |
| West Gardiner and Durham 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%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±5.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Durham and West Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Jay and West Gardiner 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
32.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
8.1%±5.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| West Gardiner 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 |
$96,172±$30k 29% above ME |
| Durham and West Gardiner 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 |
$305,100±$42k about the ME average |
| Durham and West Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$1,087±$150Highest 5% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,781Highest 25% above ME |
$2,245Lowest 26% below ME |
$2,282 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±40.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
57.1%±9.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
| West Gardiner 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% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
24 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.8%±7.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Durham and West Gardiner 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 | #90 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 05 | RSU 73 | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| 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.