Compare towns
Jay vs Hermon vs Pittston
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).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
Pittston has the oldest population (median age 41.4).
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 | Hermon | Pittston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,657 |
6,727Highest |
3,093Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
41.1±4.7 8% below ME |
41.4±5.9Highest 8% below ME |
| Pittston and Hermon 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% |
21.6%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±7.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Hermon and Jay 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% |
20.4%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±6.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Hermon 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% |
37.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Pittston and Hermon 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 |
$96,629±$22kHighest 29% above ME |
$86,614±$18k 16% above ME |
| Hermon and Pittston 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 |
$333,600±$32kHighest 12% above ME |
$238,700±$66k 20% below ME |
| Hermon and Pittston 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 |
$1,406±$202Highest 23% above ME |
$1,080±$593 5% below ME |
| Hermon and Pittston 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 |
$2,761Highest 9% below ME |
$1,909Lowest 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.2%±28.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1 ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±34.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Pittston and Hermon 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% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
75.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 13% below ME |
23 min 8% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 4.8%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Hermon and Jay 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 | #54 of 133 in ME | #123 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 73 | Hermon Public Schools | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | Spruce Mountain High School | Hermon High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
14.6Highest |
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| 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.