Compare towns
Jackson vs Mars Hill vs Thorndike
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%).
Mars Hill has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Thorndike has the most people working from home (44.7%).
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 | Mars Hill | Thorndike |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 567Lowest |
1,398 |
1,403Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-8.9% ME: +2.6% |
-13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.7±5.8 16% below ME |
43.4±3Highest 3% below ME |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
| Mars Hill and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Mars Hill 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% |
24.5%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Mars Hill and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
25.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Mars Hill and Thorndike are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,167±$19k about the ME average |
$65,273±$9kLowest 13% below ME |
$78,438±$14kHighest 5% above ME |
| Thorndike and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $231,500±$16kHighest 22% below ME |
$163,600±$23kLowest 45% below ME |
$205,600±$88k 31% below ME |
| Jackson and Thorndike are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $629±$12 45% below ME |
$488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
$836±$317Highest 27% below ME |
| Thorndike and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,651Highest 13% below ME |
$1,843Lowest 39% below ME |
$2,537 16% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1 ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Thorndike and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.6% ME: 10.7% |
6.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.6% ME: 74.3% |
70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 41% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.3%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 42/MSAD 42 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | — | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S | Mt View High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.0Lowest |
11.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.