Compare towns
Howland vs Jackson vs Anson
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 shortest commute (31 min average).
Jackson has the most people working from home (15.3%).
Anson has the most affordable homes ($118k median).
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 | Anson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,367 |
567Lowest |
2,331Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-8.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.6±10.2Highest 6% above ME |
37.7±5.8Lowest 16% below ME |
46.7±6.2 4% above ME |
| Howland and Anson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22%±5.3 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Anson and Howland 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% |
18.3%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Howland and Anson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 12% ME: 36.2% |
41.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
11.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Anson and Howland 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 |
$52,474±$21k 30% below ME |
| Jackson and Anson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $150,100±$52k 49% below ME |
$231,500±$16kHighest 22% below ME |
$117,800±$14kLowest 60% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $916±$246 20% below ME |
$629±$12Lowest 45% below ME |
$928±$62Highest 19% below ME |
| Anson and Howland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,546Lowest 49% below ME |
$2,651Highest 13% below ME |
$1,572 48% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29%±18.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
20.6%±23.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Howland and Anson 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% ME: 10.7% |
8.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1972 5 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 26% above ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
33 min 32% above ME |
| Work from home | 0%±3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.3%±6.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
3%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 31/MSAD 31 | — | RSU 74/MSAD 74 |
| High school in town | Penobscot Valley High School | — | Carrabec High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.9Lowest |
— | 11.6Highest |
| 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.