Compare towns
Jackson vs Leeds vs Wayne vs Monroe
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Jackson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Leeds has the most kids (30.6% under 18).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Monroe has the most affordable homes ($220k 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 | Jackson | Leeds | Wayne | Monroe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 567Lowest |
2,285Highest |
1,101 |
1,001 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.8% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.7±5.8Lowest 16% below ME |
38.2±8.3 15% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
43.5±7 about the ME average |
| Wayne and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
30.6%±9.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Leeds and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.5%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
14.8%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.9% ME: 36.2% |
23%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.4%±3.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±4.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Leeds and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $75,167±$19kLowest about the ME average |
$85,208±$14k 14% above ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$81,300±$7k 9% above ME |
| Wayne and Leeds are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $231,500±$16k 22% below ME |
$257,800±$27k 13% below ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$220,300±$57kLowest 26% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $629±$12Lowest 45% below ME |
$940±$461 17% below ME |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
$1,165±$152Highest about the ME average |
| Monroe and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,651 13% below ME |
$2,565 16% below ME |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
$2,207Lowest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
27.1%±11.5 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
50.9%±47.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Monroe and Leeds are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.8% ME: 10.7% |
19.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1992 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 41% above ME |
34 min 37% above ME |
30 minLowest 24% above ME |
32 min 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.3%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
10%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 52/MSAD 52 | RSU 38 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.