Compare towns
Jackson vs Mars Hill vs Waldo
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 most affordable homes ($164k median).
Waldo has the most homeowners (84.6%).
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 | Waldo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 567Lowest |
1,398Highest |
926 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.7±5.8 16% below ME |
43.4±3Highest 3% below ME |
37.5±9.6Lowest 16% 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%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Mars Hill and Waldo 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% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
36.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1 ME: 5.8% |
| Mars Hill and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,167±$19kHighest about the ME average |
$65,273±$9kLowest 13% below ME |
$71,458±$21k 4% below ME |
| Jackson and Waldo 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 |
$208,000±$41k 30% below ME |
| Jackson and Waldo 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 |
$1,150±$691Highest about the ME average |
| Waldo 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 |
$1,843 39% below ME |
$1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1 ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 13.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.6% ME: 74.3% |
70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 41% above ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.3%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Waldo 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 | Waldo-Region 7 |
| High school in town | — | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.0 |
— |
| 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.