Compare towns
Harmony vs Jay vs Athens
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Harmony has the most people working from home (14.8%).
Jay has the highest household income ($70k).
Athens has the most kids (21.7% 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 | Harmony | Jay | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 974 |
4,657Highest |
791Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.9±2.5Highest 18% above ME |
39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
47.7±7.2 6% above ME |
| Harmony and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±5.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
21.7%±5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Athens and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±2.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Athens and Harmony are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.1% ME: 36.2% |
29.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
17.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Jay and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $54,063±$13k 28% below ME |
$70,238±$19kHighest 6% below ME |
$50,750±$14kLowest 32% below ME |
| Jay and Harmony are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $202,700±$58kHighest 32% below ME |
$168,600±$27k 43% below ME |
$153,100±$33kLowest 48% below ME |
| Harmony and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $759±$141Highest 33% below ME |
$538±$457Lowest 53% below ME |
| Jay and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,449 52% below ME |
$2,245Highest 26% below ME |
$1,355Lowest 55% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±100 ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±75.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Athens and Harmony are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.8% ME: 10.7% |
9.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
23.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.7% ME: 74.3% |
94.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 30% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.8%±8.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
6.1%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Harmony and Athens 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 | Harmony Public Schools | RSU 73 | Athens Public Schools |
| 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.