Compare towns
Jay vs Gray vs Chesterville vs Warren
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).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Chesterville has the most kids (31.3% under 18).
Warren has the most renters (18.7% rent).
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 | Gray | Chesterville | Warren |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,657 |
8,429Highest |
1,397Lowest |
4,932 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.8% ME: +2.6% |
+2.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.5±5.1 12% below ME |
43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
37.8±4Lowest 16% below ME |
42.2±2.2 6% below ME |
| Gray and Warren 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% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
15%±3 ME: 22.4% |
12%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.7% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Warren 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 |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$61,635±$10kLowest 18% below ME |
$74,616±$21k about the ME average |
| Gray and Warren 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 |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$214,000±$40k 28% below ME |
$232,700±$32k 22% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,088±$73 4% below ME |
$1,125±$456 about the ME average |
| Gray and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,245 26% below ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$2,194Lowest 28% below ME |
$2,832 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.8%±30.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
52.1%±29.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Warren 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% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7% ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
86.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 13% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
23 min 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
11.6%±9.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Gray and Warren 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | — | #120 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 73 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | Spruce Mountain High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
12.5Lowest |
— | — |
| 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.