Compare towns
Jay vs Chesterville 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 most affordable homes ($169k median).
Chesterville has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.8%).
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 | Chesterville | Wilton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,657Highest |
1,397Lowest |
3,862 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8% ME: +2.6% |
-1.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.5±5.1 12% below ME |
37.8±4Lowest 16% below ME |
46.1±6.6Highest about the ME average |
| Wilton 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% |
31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5 ME: 18.1% |
| Chesterville 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% |
15%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Wilton and Jay 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% |
20.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
31.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Jay and Wilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,238±$19kHighest 6% below ME |
$61,635±$10kLowest 18% below ME |
$63,396±$23k 15% below ME |
| Jay and Wilton 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 |
$214,000±$40kHighest 28% below ME |
$202,000±$30k 32% below ME |
| Chesterville and Wilton 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 |
$1,088±$73Highest 4% below ME |
$446±$274Lowest 61% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,245 26% below ME |
$2,194Lowest 28% below ME |
$2,344Highest 23% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
21.8%±30.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
52.5%±31.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Wilton and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
14.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7% ME: 74.3% |
86.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 13% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
28 minHighest 14% above ME |
| Work from home | 4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
13.1%±7.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wilton and Chesterville 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 | — | #121 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 73 | — | RSU 09 |
| High school in town | Spruce Mountain High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
— | — |
| 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.