Compare towns
Jay vs Exeter vs Pittston vs Chesterville
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).
Exeter has the most people working from home (10.3%).
Pittston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
Chesterville has the most kids (31.3% under 18).
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 | Exeter | Pittston | Chesterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,657Highest |
1,093Lowest |
3,093 |
1,397 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8% ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.5±5.1 12% below ME |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
41.4±5.9 8% below ME |
37.8±4Lowest 16% below ME |
| Exeter and Pittston 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% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±7.4 ME: 18.1% |
31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±6.1 ME: 22.4% |
15%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Exeter 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26.7% ME: 36.2% |
20.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Pittston 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 |
$84,408±$12k 13% above ME |
$86,614±$18kHighest 16% above ME |
$61,635±$10kLowest 18% below ME |
| Pittston and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $168,600±$27k 43% below ME |
$166,700±$39kLowest 44% below ME |
$238,700±$66kHighest 20% below ME |
$214,000±$40k 28% below ME |
| Pittston and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$995±$386 13% below ME |
$1,080±$593 5% below ME |
$1,088±$73Highest 4% below ME |
| Chesterville and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,245Highest 26% below ME |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$1,909 37% below ME |
$2,194 28% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±34.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.8%±30.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Pittston and Exeter 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% |
8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
12%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7% ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
86.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 13% below ME |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 4.8%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Exeter 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 | — | #123 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 73 | — | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | — |
| High school in town | Spruce Mountain High School | — | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
— | — | — |
| 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.