Compare towns
Jay vs Leeds vs Wayne
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).
Leeds has the most kids (30.6% under 18).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
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 | Leeds | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,657Highest |
2,285 |
1,101Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8% ME: +2.6% |
-2.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.5±5.1 12% below ME |
38.2±8.3Lowest 15% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
30.6%±9.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Leeds 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% |
14.8%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.7% ME: 36.2% |
23%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.4%±3.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Leeds and Wayne 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 |
$85,208±$14k 14% above ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
| Wayne and Leeds 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 |
$257,800±$27k 13% below ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$940±$461 17% below ME |
$983±$554Highest 14% below ME |
| Wayne and Leeds are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,245Lowest 26% below ME |
$2,565 16% below ME |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.2%±28.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
27.1%±11.5 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Jay and Leeds 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% |
19.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 13% below ME |
34 minHighest 37% above ME |
30 min 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #86 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 73 | RSU 52/MSAD 52 | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | Spruce Mountain High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
— | — |
| 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.