Compare towns
Jay vs Appleton vs Oakland vs Wilton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Jay has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Oakland has the highest household income ($78k).
Wilton has the most people working from home (13.1%).
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 | Jay | Appleton | Oakland | Wilton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,657 |
1,360Lowest |
6,309Highest |
3,862 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2% ME: +2.6% |
-6.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
40.2±6.9 10% below ME |
46.1±6.6 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Wilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5 ME: 18.1% |
| Oakland and Wilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
18.2%±3.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Wilton and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.7% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
24.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
31.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Oakland and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,238±$19k 6% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$77,813±$16kHighest 4% above ME |
$63,396±$23k 15% below ME |
| Oakland and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $168,600±$27kLowest 43% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$236,000±$23kHighest 20% below ME |
$202,000±$30k 32% below ME |
| Oakland and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $759±$141 33% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$939±$74 18% below ME |
$446±$274Lowest 61% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,245Lowest 26% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,439 20% below ME |
$2,344 23% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.2%±28.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
52.5%±31.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.8% ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
14.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 13% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
27 min 8% above ME |
28 min 14% above ME |
| Work from home | 4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
13.1%±7.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wilton and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #86 of 133 in ME | — | #23 of 133 in ME | #121 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 73 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 18 | RSU 09 |
| High school in town | Spruce Mountain High School | None in town | Messalonskee High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
— | 14.2Highest |
— |
| 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.