Compare towns
Jay vs Buckfield vs Oakland
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 most affordable homes ($169k median).
Buckfield has the most people working from home (15.6%).
Oakland has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.2%).
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 | Buckfield | Oakland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,657 |
2,403Lowest |
6,309Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.3% ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.5±5.1 12% below ME |
37.7±10.1Lowest 16% below ME |
40.2±6.9Highest 10% below ME |
| Oakland and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
25.7%±7.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Buckfield and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.2%±3.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Jay and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
24.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Highest 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±$19kLowest 6% below ME |
$77,917±$41kHighest 4% above ME |
$77,813±$16k 4% above ME |
| Buckfield and Oakland 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 |
$227,700±$18k 23% below ME |
$236,000±$23kHighest 20% below ME |
| Oakland and Buckfield 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 |
$521±$33Lowest 54% below ME |
$939±$74Highest 18% below ME |
| Oakland and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,245Lowest 26% below ME |
$2,860Highest 6% below ME |
$2,439 20% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
0%±55Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Oakland and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7% ME: 74.3% |
94.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 13% below ME |
31 minHighest 25% above ME |
27 min 8% above ME |
| Work from home | 4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±12.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Buckfield and Oakland 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 |
| School district | RSU 73 | RSU 10 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | Spruce Mountain High School | Buckfield Jr-Sr High School | Messalonskee High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
10.2Lowest |
14.2Highest |
| 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.