Compare towns
Jay vs Gorham 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 most affordable homes ($169k median).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
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 | Gorham | Chesterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,657 |
18,300Highest |
1,397Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.5±5.1Highest 12% below ME |
39.4±2.9 12% below ME |
37.8±4Lowest 16% below ME |
| Jay and Gorham 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% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
15%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Jay and Gorham 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% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,238±$19k 6% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$61,635±$10kLowest 18% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $168,600±$27kLowest 43% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$214,000±$40k 28% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,088±$73 4% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,245 26% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$2,194Lowest 28% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.8%±30.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gorham and Jay 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% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
86.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 13% below ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #86 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 73 | Gorham Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Spruce Mountain High School | Gorham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
12.9Highest |
— |
| 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.