Compare towns
Jay vs Mapleton vs Bowdoin vs Wilton
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).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Bowdoin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.5%).
Wilton has the most people working from home (13.1%).
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 | Mapleton | Bowdoin | Wilton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,657Highest |
1,884Lowest |
3,188 |
3,862 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+2.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
44.3±10 about the ME average |
46.1±6.6Highest about the ME average |
| Wilton and Bowdoin 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Wilton 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.4% ME: 36.2% |
31.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$91,239±$13k 22% above ME |
$63,396±$23kLowest 15% below ME |
| Mapleton and Bowdoin 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 |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$292,800±$71kHighest about the ME average |
$202,000±$30k 32% below ME |
| Bowdoin and Wilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $759±$141Highest 33% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
— | $446±$274Lowest 61% below ME |
| Jay and Mapleton 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,375Highest 11% above ME |
$2,344 23% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
52.5%±31.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Wilton 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% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11% ME: 10.7% |
14.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 13% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
28 min 14% above ME |
| Work from home | 4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
13.1%±7.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wilton and Bowdoin 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 | — | #28 of 133 in ME | #121 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 73 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 09 |
| High school in town | Spruce Mountain High School | None in town | 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 | 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.