Compare towns
Howland vs Jackson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Howland has the most affordable homes ($150k median).
Jackson has the most people working from home (15.3%).
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 | Howland | Jackson |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 1,367Highest |
567Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.6±10.2Highest 6% above ME |
37.7±5.8Lowest 16% below ME |
| Howland and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 22%±5.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Howland and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 22.8%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Howland and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 12%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Howland and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $49,297±$21kLowest 34% below ME |
$75,167±$19kHighest about the ME average |
| Jackson and Howland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $150,100±$52kLowest 49% below ME |
$231,500±$16kHighest 22% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $916±$246Highest 20% below ME |
$629±$12Lowest 45% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,546Lowest 49% below ME |
$2,651Highest 13% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29%±18.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Howland and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 25.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 26% above ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 0%±3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.3%±6.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||
| School district | RSU 31/MSAD 31 | — |
| High school in town | Penobscot Valley High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.