Compare towns
Etna vs Jackson vs Charleston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Etna has the most affordable homes ($183k median).
Jackson has the most renters (21.4% rent).
Charleston has the most people working from home (16.6%).
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 | Etna | Jackson | Charleston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,252Highest |
567Lowest |
1,117 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+10.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.9±3.4 6% below ME |
37.7±5.8Lowest 16% below ME |
45.4±5.9Highest about the ME average |
| Charleston and Etna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±5 ME: 18.1% |
| Etna and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±1.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
11.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Etna and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.9% ME: 36.2% |
41.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
12.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±0.5 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Jackson and Etna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,379±$16kLowest 3% below ME |
$75,167±$19k about the ME average |
$75,250±$20kHighest about the ME average |
| Charleston and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $183,000±$49kLowest 38% below ME |
$231,500±$16kHighest 22% below ME |
$226,500±$17k 24% below ME |
| Jackson and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $629±$12Lowest 45% below ME |
$988±$870Highest 13% below ME |
| Charleston and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,745Lowest 43% below ME |
$2,651Highest 13% below ME |
$1,811 40% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Etna and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.8% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 12% above ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
26 minLowest 5% above ME |
| Work from home | 5.6%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.3%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±8.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Charleston and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.